


Painted On My Heart

by bromfieldhall



Category: Ugly Betty
Genre: Angst, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-09
Updated: 2008-11-09
Packaged: 2018-02-16 03:25:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2254041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bromfieldhall/pseuds/bromfieldhall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gio believes that it's over between Betty and himself and is determined to move on, but Betty has other ideas.</p><p>Set after episode, 'Betty Suarez Land' then goes AU from there.</p><p>Gio/Betty.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Moving On

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: "Ugly Betty" is copyrighted to ABC Studios. I retain rights to the plot, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

_"I was trying everything that I can  
To get my heart to forget you_

_But it just can't seem to"_

_~ Painted On My Heart – The Cult ~_

Giovanni Rossi let out a long sigh and settled back into his favourite chair. An open beer bottle hung loosely in his right hand, its' contents untouched. It had been a very long, very emotional day.

Letting his head drop back to rest on the chair, he closed his eyes and let his mind wander back over the previous few hours events.

As soon as he'd entered the Mode magazine offices, he'd known he would see her again.

Betty Suarez.

It was inevitable. Unavoidable, even. Especially since she'd ran straight up to him and given him the kind of non-drug induced hug he'd dreamt about being on the receiving end of for months.

A hug for God's sake. Like they were best friends. Like she hadn't ripped out his heart that day at the Mode/Elle softball game and ground it into the earth beneath her feet.

His hurt had manifested itself in anger and he'd told her that he hated her. That she wasn't a nice person. That she was banned from his deli and, more importantly, banned from his life!

Naturally, all of it was a bunch of lies but he'd had to protect himself somehow. His battered heart simply couldn't take any more.

Unfortunately for him, Betty had seemed determined to make amends. After luring him to her new apartment under false pretences, she'd then proceeded to blackmail him into staying. Somehow, she'd managed to get hold of some of the cheese he'd discovered in Italy and used it as leverage. Desperate to have the cheese, he'd resigned himself to listening to the conversation she seemed bent on having whether he liked it or not.

And that's when he'd finally lost it. Having sat through half an hour of her gushing about their 'friendship' and how he'd helped her 'find herself' and 'changed her life' he'd had enough. Sick and tired of her living in her own little world and refusing to acknowledge anything or anyone around her, he'd launched a scathing attack.

"For once, this isn't about you," he'd bitten out angrily. "And if you didn't live in Betty Suarez Land…"

Betty had stood up at that jibe. "OK," she'd begun indignantly, "I do not live in Betty Suarez Land."

Gio had also stood, putting himself into her space. "Oh yes you do," he'd retorted bitterly before adding derisively, "Twenty-five Teddy Bear Lane, Betty Suarez Land, USA."

Obviously taken aback, Betty's jaw had dropped open in surprise at the attack and she'd folded her arms as though protecting herself from further insult. But Gio had been too incensed to stop his tirade and, voice raised, had continued on heatedly, "And if you were to step out of it for one minute, you'd realise that it takes two to make a relationship and I'm not interested!"

"Well why not?!" Betty had demanded loudly.

"Because you broke my heart!" His voice, full of raw emotion, had cracked on the word 'my' and he'd hated himself for it. Hated the extent of the hurt and depth of feelings that he'd revealed in those five small words. Hated that he'd felt his eyes fill suddenly.

Hated the expression of dawning comprehension that had slowly appeared on Betty's face.

All this time, all the things he'd said and done and she'd never really had a clue of the full extent of his feelings…and that's what had hurt him the most.

Who knows, if her damned phone hadn't have rung she might have said something worthwhile, but he doubted it. It would probably have just been a fumbled attempt at an apology he hadn't been in any mood to hear at the time anyway.

Naturally, events had overcome them and he'd let himself get drawn back into her world once again. To be honest, it hadn't been as bad as he'd feared and by the time he'd took Betty back to her apartment, his anger had abated somewhat.

She'd finally let him have the cheese for which he was grateful and because of that, he felt he could be charitable enough to at least try and part on reasonable terms. She'd apologised and told him that he was right, that she did live in her own land sometimes.

He'd responded by saying that he'd been stupid to ban her from his life but she'd been insistent that he should have those feelings if that's what he needed...and that's when he'd realised that it really was all over between them. They couldn't even be friends again. Not if he truly wanted to give himself a real chance to get over her.

Amazingly, he'd actually felt his heart physically ache at the knowledge.

Knowing that it'd be the last time he'd ever speak to her, he'd gathered his inner reserves and put on the same brave face he'd been putting on for the past few months as he'd told her that he didn't blame her for choosing herself.

And he didn't; not really. How could you blame someone for trying to find themselves? He was kind of proud in an odd way that he'd been instrumental in her new independence. He'd known along she'd had it in her, it was just a shame she wasn't willing, or able, to share it with him.

Raising the beer bottle to his lips, he took a long swallow before letting his hand drop down again.

He needed to get a grip on his own life now. He'd done the hard part, he'd seen Betty and now he could really move on. He had to get back on track with his own plan. He'd let himself get distracted too, so in one way she'd done him a favour by rejecting him.

Gio snorted aloud and shook his head at his own thoughts. Even now, he was trying to justify her actions…he was really going to have to work on that.

He finished his beer then stood up and took the empty bottle over to the bin. After dropping it in, he made himself something to eat and went back to his chair. He switched on the television but, in truth, he barely registered the programme. His food tasted like cardboard and his head was aching due to all his jumbled thoughts and turbulent emotions.

He raised a hand to his forehead and rubbed it soothingly. Why, oh why had he let himself get in so deep? What an idiot.

Clearing away his dinner, he switched the TV off and got ready for bed. He had an early start the next day and he wanted to get a decent night's sleep.

Climbing under the covers, he let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. Immediately, visions of Betty's smiling face filled his mind but he determinedly pushed them away. He wasn't going to do this to himself anymore. For his own sanity, Betty Suarez was out of his life and she wasn't welcome back.

Not now.

Not ever.

END CHAPTER ONE


	2. Rebound Guy

_"Something in your eyes keeps haunting me,  
I'm trying to escape you,  
And I know there ain't no way to,  
To chase you from my mind"_

_~Painted On My Heart – The Cult~_

Betty Suarez stood in front of her neighbour's door and took a deep breath. After catching Jesse kissing Amanda six weeks earlier, her infatuation with him had completely disintegrated, leaving her crushed.

A week after that, he'd knocked at her door and they'd talked. He hadn't realised her feelings and apologised for hurting her, albeit unknowingly. She'd embarrassingly brushed it off and ironically, after that, they'd actually starting seeing each other.

It wasn't anything heavy and at first, it'd been fun. When he wasn't talking about himself or the band, Jesse was a nice guy. Without her rose tinted glasses on though, she soon realised that what had attracted her so intensely to him in the first place was the fact that he had qualities that were very similar to both Henry…and Gio.

In theory, he was the perfect guy. On the one hand, he was nice and easy going and on the other, he encouraged her in her work. Unfortunately, in reality, he was just a pale imitation of something better she'd already had…and thrown away.

Gio's face suddenly popped into her mind causing her to let out a frustrated groan and close her eyes as she determinedly pushed the image away. She just couldn't seem to forget the look of anguish he'd had when he'd told her she'd broken his heart. The young Italian had been cropping up in her thoughts more and more often over the past few weeks and usually at the most inopportune moments; the worst being the night before when she'd kissed Jesse.

How awful was it of her to be kissing one guy while thinking about another?

She shuffled her feet and looked down self-consciously. She knew exactly how awful it was and had known in that instant that Jesse and her could never work out. Instead of ending it then and there though, she'd made some lame excuse and left…which was why she was standing in front of his door now.

Anxiously, she adjusted her glasses then raised her hand and knocked lightly, almost hoping that he wouldn't hear so that she could put it off until later.

She wasn't that lucky.

The door opened. "Hey," her boyfriend greeted with a smile. "I thought…"

"Jesse, I'm sorry, but I don't think we should see each other anymore," Betty interrupted in a rush.

The musician blinked, his brain slowly processing what she'd said. "I think that's going to be impossible seeing as we're neighbours," he finally told her with a small smile.

"What?" she replied, surprised at his response. With a frown, she shook her head. "No, no, I meant that…"

"I know what you meant, Betty," he cut in. "And it's cool." He shrugged. "After last night I kinda guessed something was up."

"Yeah, I know, I should've spoken to you then but I just couldn't," she admitted in a regretful tone. "It was wrong and I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't keep apologising," he told her dismissively. "We had some fun but we both knew it wasn't anything serious."

She nodded in agreement, feeling relieved that everything was all right between them. She liked him and hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings but it wasn't fair continuing the relationship if her heart wasn't in it. Betty gave him another apologetic smile then took a step backwards. "I've got to go," she said, gesturing towards her door.

He nodded. "Ok, I'll see you around."

She gave him a wave and turned to go.

"Hey, Betty?" Jesse called out, causing her to look back at him. "I know it's none of my business, but, uh, I think you should just go for it."

She looked puzzled. "Go for what?"

He gave her a knowing smile. "The guy," he said simply before shutting the door.

Betty stood and stared at the closed door for a minute before turning away and walking quickly back to her own apartment. Jesse's choice of words had conjured up a wealth of memories and feelings she had resolutely tried to suppress ever since Gio had returned from Rome. After all, what was the use of dwelling on the past? It was obvious the deli owner had moved on, she hadn't heard from him nor seen him in ages.

When she'd told him that he should ban her from his life if that's what he needed, she hadn't honestly thought it'd be forever. Every day for the first couple of weeks she'd expected to see his smiling face again but it had never happened. As time went on, she'd slowly resigned herself to the fact that unless she went to the deli, she wasn't going to see him again. Naturally, because of what she'd said, she couldn't do that and he knew it.

The gap Gio had left in her life was larger than she'd ever imagined it would be and the need to replace him, more so. In hindsight, she knew that was a major part of the reason she'd started to like Jesse in the first place. He was Gio-lite.

Needing some time to think, she entered her apartment only to be met by the sight of her recently acquired roommate, Amanda, rummaging through the refrigerator.

"You know, for someone your size, I'd expect there to be more to eat," the blonde commented archly as she straightened up to look at Betty.

"There's plenty of food in there, Amanda," her roommate snapped as she went over and moved the other girl out of the way. "You just have to learn how to cook it!"

"Oooo, cranky," Amanda goaded before adding in a mock sympathetic voice, "Did your break up with the Dark Sexless Adventurer not go too well?"

Betty's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know that I broke up with Jesse?"

"Oh please, like it wasn't completely obvious," the blonde dismissed with an eye roll before sitting down at the kitchen table and pulling out a nail file from somewhere on her person.

As she worked on her nails, she continued, "I mean, for a rebound guy, he was ok, but like I told you weeks ago…so not worth it." Still intent on her grooming, she gave a shrug of her shoulders before adding, "Anyway, we all know you're still drooling over Salami Boy and his cheese balls. God knows you shout his name often enough when you're asleep."

"I do not!" Betty refuted vehemently even though she felt a finger of doubt creep slowly up her spine.

"Trust me, you do," Amanda asserted wryly. "I don't know how I still look this good considering that half the night I'm awake listening to you saying, 'Oh Gio, please, just let me taste your sausage one more time'." Amanda said the last in a mocking, breathy voice before giving Betty a malicious smile and adding, "I even recorded it on my phone…listen."

Before Betty could react, Amanda had pulled out her cell and pushed a couple of buttons. The sound of Betty's voice filled the air causing the dark-haired girl to blush in mortification. "Gio, oh, Gio," she heard herself groan.

"That's my new text alert," the blonde informed her perkily. "And here, this is Marc's favourite."

Betty's embarrassment reached further heights as more groaning could be heard along with a few giggles. "Oh, God," she mumbled, aghast. "Turn it off, Amanda."

"Why? I have loads more," the young woman told her as she prepared to find another one.

Betty turned away then grabbed her coat and bag and headed for the door. "I'm going out."

"What? Wait! Aren't you going to make something to eat before you go?" Amanda asked, oblivious to the other girl's distress. The door slamming shut was her only reply. "Some people are so self involved," she muttered to herself as she picked up her file and began tending to her nails once more.

Betty left her apartment building and hurried down the street. She could still feel her face flaming at what she'd just witnessed. It was bad enough that Gio kept invading her thoughts when she was awake, to know he was there with her at night as well was…perturbing.

She really needed to speak to her sister, Hilda.

Hailing a cab, she got in and made the journey in silence. Her thoughts and feelings were so jumbled she was beginning to be afraid that she'd never think straight again.

She arrived at her family home and got out. After paying the driver, she walked up to the front door and let herself in.

"Hilda?" she called out as she put her bag down and took off her coat. "Papi? Justin?"

"I'm in here, Betty," her sister called out from the back room of the house.

Betty walked through to the room Hilda used as her beauty salon and saw that her sister was refilling the shelves with various beauty products. "You need some help?" she offered.

Hilda looked over her shoulder and shook her head. "Nah, I've got it. Thanks."

The younger sister wandered over to one of the chairs and sat down with a sigh. "Where's Papi and Justin?" she asked.

"They're both out," she replied glancing over at Betty. "So what's up?"

"What makes you think anything's wrong?" she evaded nonchalantly.

"Betty, please, I'm your sister! I can see when you've got something troubling you," Hilda told her wryly. "What is it? Jesse? Work?"

Betty shook her head. "No. Work's the same as always and I broke up with Jesse earlier today."

Hilda stopped what she was doing and turned to look at her sister consideringly. "Well, I would say I'm sorry but you don't seem that bothered about the break-up."

"I'm not," Betty admitted with a shrug. "I realised quite early on that I liked the idea of Jesse more than the reality." She paused then added quietly, "Besides, my heart wasn't really in it."

Hilda nodded. "Yeah, well, that's what rebound guy's are for, right? To help us move on."

Betty grimaced slightly. She really didn't like to label Jesse in that way but, if she were honest, he had been exactly that. A Rebound Guy. And not for Henry as she would've once imagined, but for the man she rejected so that she could find herself.

But what did that mean? When had her feelings towards Gio changed? Or had they always been there and she just hadn't recognised them? And what was she going to do now that he wanted nothing whatsoever to do with her?

She'd been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realised Hilda was still talking.

"…it'll take time, but you'll get over Henry eventually," she finished consolingly before turning back to the shelf.

"What? No, Hilda, this has nothing to do with Henry," said Betty with a frown. "I mean, I loved him and he'll always have a special place in my heart but I know it's over. I haven't thought about him like that in a long time."

Her older sister looked at back at her in confusion. "Well then, who…?" Her mouth suddenly dropped open and her eyes widened in surprise as realisation dawned. "Is it, Gio?"

Betty nodded mutely.

"Ay, Betty!" Hilda exclaimed in frustration. "You kept telling me you didn't like him like that?"

"I know!" Betty stood up and began to pace in agitation. "But I…I've been having these feelings lately and I think I've made a really stupid mistake in just letting him walk away like that," she confessed miserably. "And now it's like he's just dropped out of my life and I don't know what to do. He's even got one of his cousins to bring the sandwich trolley round at work." She stopped and looked at her sister with tears in her eyes. "I mean, really, does he hate me that much?"

"No, of course he doesn't," Hilda reassured her as she hurried over and placed a comforting arm around Betty. "He's just trying to deal with the situation the best way he can, you know that."

Betty nodded and gathered her composure. "Maybe I should go down to the deli and…"

"No," Hilda interrupted her decisively. "I think you should just leave Gio alone."

"What? Why?" her sister asked in bewilderment.

"Because, Betty, you need to go home, calm down and sort out exactly what it is you're feeling about him," Hilda advised firmly. "At the moment it seems to me that you just want something you can't have."

"That's not true," Betty refuted crossly, hardly believing what Hilda had said. "I do miss him but I also think that I…"

"No, Betty!" Hilda cut in sharply as she took her arm from her sister's shoulders and stood in front of her. "Look, just thinking that you might care about him isn't enough. I mean, a few weeks ago when you had your little crush on Jesse, you completely dismissed both Gio and Henry as if they weren't important." She paused and looked intently into the younger girl's eyes before adding seriously, "You can't play with people's feelings, Betty. Gio's loved you a long time and after getting his hopes up, you broke his heart…I can't just stand by and let you wade back in and mess up his life again. You have to be sure of your feelings this time, OK?"

Betty let out a heavy sigh and nodded slowly. She knew her sister made sense but one thing that she'd said that kept replaying itself over and over in her mind. "What do you mean, Gio's loved me for a long time?" she asked curiously.

Hilda smiled and shook her head at her sister's obliviousness. "I saw how much he liked you that night we had our date. I called him on it and he didn't deny it. That's why nothing more ever happened between us."

Betty was stunned at the revelation. It put a whole new perspective on everything that had gone on during the weeks before and after Henry had left, leaving her feelings more chaotic than ever.

"Look, I know it's going to be hard, but try and forget about it for a while and help me restock the shelves, huh?" Hilda proposed cajolingly. "Papi and Justin will be home soon and we'll have dinner."

Betty mentally pulled herself together and nodded her head in agreement. The sisters worked side by side talking about anything other than a certain Italian deli owner.

Ignacio and Justin returned home a quarter of an hour after they'd finished and Betty spent the rest of the evening laughing and chatting with her family. When it was time to go, she hugged her father and nephew warmly before turning to her sister.

"Thanks, Hilda," she said embracing her with a smile. "I'll give you call in a few days, OK?"

Her sister nodded and Betty gave everyone a wave before walking out of the door.

Five days later, Betty took a deep breath and dialled a familiar. The phone picked up on the other end and a voice said, "Hello."

"Hilda?" Betty said with a grin, "I'm sure."

END CHAPTER TWO


	3. Standing Firm

_"I thought it was just a matter of time  
Till I had a hundred reasons  
Not to think about you,  
But it's just not so  
And after all this time,  
I still can't let go"_

_Painted On My Heart ~The Cult~_

"Thanks. Enjoy your sandwich and come again."

Gio closed the cash register then watched the customer leave the deli before heading out to the back storage room to take a quick break. He made himself a coffee then sat down at the table to write out a list of stock he needed to re-order.

Glancing at his watch, he noticed that it almost time for his cousin, Matteo, to return from the trolley run at the Meade building. He'd been helping out for just over two months now and it was working out well.

The morning after Gio had last seen Betty, his resolve to not let her back into his life had faltered badly. He'd wandered around his apartment over-analysing every little thing that she'd said or done, especially the hug when she'd first seen him again. His desire to speak to her had been so intense he'd actually picked up the phone to call. Thankfully, he'd somehow managed to get his fingers to dial his cousins' number and offer him a job instead.

Gio knew that if he continued to go to the Mode offices', he'd soon be haunting Betty's desk and end up getting drawn back into her world. And he really didn't want to do that. He didn't want to be the guy who stood on the fringes of her life again – just waiting for mere crumbs of her time and affection. He was better than that, he deserved better than that.

Luckily, he'd never told anyone about his feelings for Betty, so he'd not had any awkward questions from his family. He knew his mother suspected there was something, but whenever she'd made a comment on his mood, he'd merely brushed it aside saying he was thinking about the deli. He could tell by her face that she never believed him but he really didn't want to talk about what had happened.

Antonella wasn't so easily avoided, however. She'd also seen her brother was upset and, when they'd had a minute alone, she'd asked him outright, "Have you seen Braces lately?"

Gio knew it was useless to lie and had merely shook his head then looked down. Moments later, his sister had flung her arms around him in a tight hug. "It's her loss," she'd told him quietly before breaking away and walking off. It had struck him then that Antonella, although young, was far more observant than he'd ever realised.

Leaning back in the chair, Gio took a sip of coffee and let out a sigh. Thinking about it, it actually hadn't turned out to be a good week for him, because a couple of days later he'd found out that Betty was dating again.

Matteo had come back from a sandwich run and, as was the norm, had begun to tell him all the gossip he'd heard. Gio knew he should've stopped his cousin the first time he'd ever done it, but the possibility of hearing even the smallest scrap of information about Betty had proved too strong to resist.

Obviously, he'd never expected to hear that 'Daniel's assistant had bagged herself a musician.' Well, not so soon after making a big thing about needing to be on her own for a while, anyway.

Gio took another sip of his drink and shook his head. He wasn't quite sure what had hurt the most, the fact that she was dating or her complete hypocrisy.

Still, in a way, it'd helped him move on. If Matteo hadn't told him about Betty's new boyfriend, he'd probably still be wondering if he'd made the right decision. This way at least, it had made him realise that she'd never actually cared for him anyway. Since then, he'd found it easier to focus more on his life and, most importantly, his work.

Too focussed, some of his family would say. Just because he stayed late a few nights a week, didn't mean he was working too hard though. After all, what was the point in rushing home to an empty apartment when he could be thinking up new 'wiches and different ways to source Danardo's cheese a lot more cost effectively?

He frowned slightly as he recalled the recent invoice he'd received from the shipping company. Importing was proving to be expensive and that was something he really needed to sort out very quickly if he wanted to keep the cheese on his menu.

The sound of the bell above the front door ringing snapped him out of his musings and he put down his cup. Standing up, he headed out to the main store, ready to serve his next customer.

"Hi, what can I get…you?" he enquired falteringly, his ready smile fading to a frown as he saw who was standing in the middle of the deli. It was Hilda…and Betty. What on earth were they doing here?

"Hi, Gio," Betty greeted with an uncertain smile and little wave of her hand.

"Hi," he replied, guardedly. The shock of seeing her caused his traitorous heart to flip and start thudding heavily. Briefly, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to slow it down. Opening them again, he adopted, what he hoped was, an impassive look on his face.

His reaction, although nothing spectacular, was noted by Hilda who was watching him closely.

"Hey, Gio, how's it going?" the elder sister asked as she took her hands out of the back pockets of her skin-tight jeans and sauntered up to the counter with Betty in tow.

Hilda looked as good as ever in her figure hugging, dark green top that revealed just enough cleavage to get any red-blooded male hot under the collar. Not for the first time, Gio wondered why on earth he couldn't have fallen for that Suarez sister instead.

"It's going fine, thanks," he answered, focussing on the brunette. "You?"

"Good. My salon's doing really well," she answered brightly, giving him one of her million watt smiles. She raised her hand and gave a dismissive wave as she added, "I mean, I had a bit of trouble with the whole having a licence thing, but it's fine now."

Gio nodded, not really understanding what she meant but agreeing anyway. Silence descended for a few moments with each of the three casting little glances at the other until Hilda finally spoke again.

"So, this is nice," she remarked, looking around the deli appreciatively. "I can't believe I've never been here before. Betty always said you'd done a great job with the place and she was right."

"Thanks," he responded unhelpfully. He didn't know what they wanted, but he wasn't going to make it easy for them.

"So, anyway," she ploughed on, undeterred. "I just met Betty for lunch and she said she just had to have one of your excellent turkey and tomato sandwiches. Since I've never tried one, could you make that two to go, please?"

"OK."

He started to prepare their food when Hilda suddenly let out an exaggerated gasp. "Oh, I forgot! I just have to call one of my salon client's back. It won't take long, I'll just pop outside and do it."

Before either of them could say anything, Hilda was gone, leaving them alone. Gio glanced at Betty who looked slightly annoyed that her sister had deserted her so obviously.

"You know, you could've saved yourself the walk and just got the sandwiches from Matt," he commented indifferently as he spooned generous helpings of mayonnaise onto the bread.

"I wanted to come here," Betty assured him quickly. "That is, if I'm not still banned?"

He looked up at that and shook his head, frowning slightly. "I thought I said you weren't the last time I saw you."

"Well, I thought, maybe, you'd changed your mind," she admitted ruefully. "I mean, now that your cousin comes to Mode instead…"

"Self-preservation, Suarez," he cut in bluntly. "I just needed some time."

There was a moment of silence as she digested his words then she cleared her throat a little and ventured, "Um…if ever you're free, maybe we could…uh…meet up for a chat? You know, about the deli…oh, and your cheese!"

"What, like friends, you mean?" he enquired sardonically as he paused in his task and looked up.

"Yeah, I thought it'd be nice and I…" She paused and took a breath before confessing, "I've missed you."

Gio swallowed hard at her simple admission and felt his resolution to not be drawn in by her again begin to waver. She had a boyfriend, he reminded himself sternly. If he agreed to meet, he knew he'd only end up slotting back into the same role he'd had when Henry was around.

That thought irritated the hell out of him – partly because it irked him that he'd be so weak and partly because she had the gall to suggest it to him in the first place.

"Missed me being at you beck and call if there's a problem, more like," he finally remonstrated with more than a touch of bitterness.

"No! Gio, that's not true," she refuted, aghast. "I don't treat friends that way."

"Well, we've obviously never been friends then!" he snapped in annoyance.

Silence followed his outburst and he wasn't prepared for the sheen of tears that welled in Betty's eyes. The hurt look on her face made him feel awful. He hadn't meant it to come out like that and he regretted the words as soon as they'd left his mouth.

"Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," he apologised in a calmer tone and with a semblance of a smile. "And since you asked, the deli's doing well and the cheese is a hit, although a little pricey to import, but I'll manage, OK?"

She nodded mutely.

"As for meeting up," he continued, looking back down at the sandwiches in order to avoid her gaze. "I'm so busy with everything at the moment, I just don't have a lot of free time, so…"

He trailed off then deftly wrapped the finished sandwiches and placed them on top of the counter in front of her.

"I understand," she acknowledged sadly before opening her purse to search for some money to pay for the food.

Gio watched her down-bent head and tried to ignore the turmoil going on inside of himself. He had to stand firm on his decision, however bad he felt. It was another vital step away from his feelings towards Betty and one of the hardest he'd had to take so far.

"They're on the house, Betty," he told her, softly.

She looked at him in surprise. "Oh! Thank you," she said with a tremulous smile as she picked them up. "Are you're sure?"

He nodded and gave her a small smile. "It was good to see you again."

"And you," she replied, smiling back.

Their gazes locked, neither wanting to be the first to turn away.

Suddenly, the bell rang above the door as it opened and Matteo walked in, effectively ending the moment. Feeling the tension in the room, the well-built, dark-haired young man walked slowly up to the counter, not quite sure what was going on.

Betty glanced over her shoulder at Matteo then turned back to Gio. "I-I'd better go," she said with a quick wave. "Bye."

Gio nodded and stared after her, his heart in his eyes as he watched her leave. A long, low whistle from his cousin brought him out of his reverie and he turned his head to look at him. "What?"

"Nothing much," Matteo said with a rueful smile. "Just that, suddenly, a lot of things now make sense."

"What?" Gio repeated, puzzled.

"Come on, man…the way you've been acting ever since you offered me a job. You know, working late, not going out like you used to…it's all to do with her, isn't it?" he questioned, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder indicating the door Betty had just exited by. "That was Daniel Meade's assistant, right? Brenda, Barbara…"

"Betty," Gio supplied with a frown. "And I still don't know what you mean."

"Oh, please, I saw the way you looked at her as she left," Matteo chuckled. He moved nearer and slapped him on the back. "Man, have you got it bad!"

Gio sighed and ran a hand through his short hair. "Not anymore, Matt. Whatever the hell it was we had finished a long time ago."

"You could've fooled me," his cousin retorted, disbelievingly. "I could've cut the air with a knife when I walked in. You can't manufacture that kind of tension."

Gio shrugged and started to walk back to the storeroom. "Yeah, well, it doesn't matter anyway. She's got a boyfriend, remember?"

Matteo smiled and followed. "You know, if it helps, that hot receptionist at Mode told me today that Betty dumped the music guy."

Gio stopped briefly then carried on walking, dampening down the stab of elation he felt at hearing her boyfriend was gone. It didn't make any difference. He couldn't let it.

"It doesn't help," he retorted decisively as he sat back down on his previously vacated chair and picked up his pen. "As far as I'm concerned, Betty Suarez is out of my life. For good. And that's the end of it, Matt."

His cousin didn't believe him for a moment but knew it was useless to protest. When Gio was in that kind of mood, nothing and no one could get him to see reason. Still, Matteo had never let that stop him before and opted for a bit of reverse psychology instead.

"OK man, I'm sorry. I guess I was wrong about the way you feel about her. I mean, I know you and if you really did love her, we both know you'd give her a second chance, right?" He shrugged. "Obviously, you don't."

Gio didn't even look up from his stock sheet as he bleakly replied, "No, Matt, I don't."

Matteo sighed and shook his head. Gio was like a brother to him and in all the years they'd grown up together, he'd never once seen him get this low about a woman before. In all honesty, he'd never seen him in love before…but he had now, however much his cousin tried to deny it. If only he knew what had happened between the two of them, he might be able to help. Looking at Gio's set features, he realised nothing more would be said on the subject today.

"I'll just go and put the money I got this afternoon in the till."

Gio surreptitiously watched his cousin leave the room then threw down the pen and sat back with a sigh. He rubbed his hand across his forehead and glanced upwards as though seeking forgiveness. Of all the lies he'd spouted in the last twenty minutes or so, the last one just had to be the biggest of his entire life.

Seeing her again only confirmed what he'd suspected for the last two months. No matter how much he tried the kid himself, he was still as much in love with Betty Suarez as he had been the first time she'd argued with him over a stupid sandwich.

He was so screwed.

END CHAPTER THREE


	4. Perfect Plan

_"I thought you'd be out of my mind  
And I'd finally found a way to  
Learn to live without you"_

_~Painted On My Heart - The Cult~_

"Betty, here's the guest list for the party," said her boss, Daniel Meade, as he slapped several sheets of paper down onto her desk. "Could you make sure the invites are sent out this week?"

"Yes, Daniel."

"Thanks." He smiled then took a couple of steps away only to return and look at her in concern. "You OK?"

"Yeah, just a little tired. I haven't been sleeping that well," she replied dismissively.

"Anything you want to talk about?" her boss pressed.

Betty shook her head. "No, not really," she responded with a small smile to take the sting out of her words.

Daniel eyed her contemplatively then gave a nod. "OK, well, if you change your mind…"

"I know where to find you," she finished for him. "Thanks."

Betty watched him leave then sat back and let out a heavy sigh. It had been three days since she'd last seen Gio and however much she tried, she just couldn't get him, or his words, out of her head.

Having him tell her that they'd never been friends, had hurt her deeply. Yet, as much as she would have liked to deny it; she really hadn't been much of a friend to him. He had done everything for her and what had she ever done for him in return? Apart from breaking his heart, she actually couldn't think of a thing.

Opening her drawer, she pulled out the small, stained napkin she'd kept from the night of her twenty-fourth birthday. Holding it up, she stared at it wistfully, remembering how right it had felt resting her head on Gio's shoulder as they'd watched the makeshift 'fireworks'.

In hindsight, she realised that it had been that evening that her unwelcome feelings of attraction for Gio and blossomed into something more. Naturally, at the time she'd tried to ignore it completely, but lying in Henry's arms that night, it wasn't her accountant boyfriend who had dominated her thoughts.

The next day, she'd been in more control of herself and had put her momentary lapse of affection towards Gio down to temporary insanity and the fact that she was upset with Henry for letting her down.

Oh, how naïve she'd been then. How blind not to recognise what had been happening to her. All that had mattered to her then was Henry and how she thought she should be feeling – not actually what she was feeling, deep down inside.

In fact, she'd conditioned herself so well that when Henry had finally left, she continued to keep Gio at arms length. Pushing him away as if she didn't really care. Labelling them as 'friends' when she knew she felt a connection.

In truth, she hadn't been ready for the kind of commitment she felt Gio had been after.

Having just lost one love, she'd been too scared to jump into another relationship so soon afterwards. Instead of simply telling Gio that, however, she'd let herself get swept along with his plans and ended up hurting him badly. That was something, she knew, she wasn't going to forgive herself for any time soon.

"You know, I have plenty of clean napkins on my cart if you want one?" a voice from her left suddenly offered.

"What?!" Betty exclaimed as she jumped and looked at who had spoken. It was Gio's cousin, Matteo. Embarrassed, she hastily put the smiling pickle napkin back in her drawer and closed it with a slam. "I'm fine, thanks."

"OK, if you're sure," Matteo conceded with a shrug and knowing smile. He'd seen the way she'd been staring at the old napkin. Apparently, she felt the same about Gio as he did about her. He gestured to the trolley in front of him. "How about a sandwich?"

Betty looked at the tempting food but shook her head. "No thanks, I brought my own today."

"Maybe tomorrow then?" he suggested.

Betty smiled half-heartedly. "Yeah, maybe."

She looked down and Matteo stared at her for a few seconds, unsure whether to say anything or not. He wasn't usually one to interfere, especially in matters of the heart, but his cousin really had been like a bear with a sore head ever since her visit.

"Uh, Betty?" he began, tentatively.

She looked up at him and adjusted her glasses. "Yes?"

He hesitated again, still mentally warring with himself before finally deciding he was doing the right thing.

"Look, I know it's none of my business but I can't ignore what's going on between you and my cousin. Gio doesn't talk about his love life much; never has," he told her quietly. "I guessed there was someone from the way he's been acting for the past few months, but I didn't know who it was until I saw you at the deli. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but…I've never seen him this cut up about a woman before."

Betty drew in a sharp breath. "Really?" she queried softly, hardly daring to hope it were true.

He nodded then gestured to her drawer and continued, "It's pretty obvious to me that you have feelings for him and I know he still has them for you, however much he tries to hide it. Maybe, you could get passed whatever's happened and try again. Gio can be a stubborn ass sometimes, but if you're determined, I think he'll come around."

Advice given, he turned and walked away leaving Betty to mull over his words. He'd done his bit and now, if he was lucky, she'd do hers and go make his cousin a happy man again.

Betty stared at Matt's retreating form with a sense of hope. Gio still had feelings for her? His own cousin couldn't be wrong about that, could he? True, Hilda had said the self same thing, but she'd based it on one look and Betty hadn't been convinced, but now…

She shook her head slightly and frowned, thinking back over their meeting from a different angle. What if Matteo was right and Gio was merely hiding the way he felt? His words and actions could then be seen as a way of protecting himself against her, couldn't they? She dearly hoped so.

Although her confidence had been knocked by their meeting, she hadn't given up on trying to win Gio over. She was merely regrouping she'd told herself, but now…now there flared a new spark of determination. One that wasn't going to let the things he said push her away quite so easily.

The problem was, how was she going to get things started? She needed some kind of plan. Something that would bring them together but not look as though it were designed to.

Tricky.

She glanced down at the list Daniel had placed on her desk and found her gaze drawn to one name in particular. "Mario Batali," she muttered thoughtfully to herself.

Looking up, she smiled as an idea began to form. Of course, that was it! She got up then gathered a few things together and put them in her bag. Grabbing her coat, she only paused long enough to tell Daniel that she was going out for about an hour to sort out some plans for the party.

Daniel nodded and smiled as he mentally preened himself. He knew where she was going. He hadn't put Mario's name at the top of the list for nothing. He just hoped it worked out between them.

Betty left the Meade building and walked purposefully down the street. Before long, she came to Gio's Deli and paused briefly outside to gather her composure. Pasting a bright smile on her face, she entered the store only to find four customers waiting to be served. Her smile faded as she stood back a little and simply watched Gio work.

He had an easy-going way about him that his customers obviously warmed to. He joked and laughed with them, all the while never losing focus on the job at hand.

Two customers down and then he noticed her at the back. Suddenly, his smiles and humour seemed more forced than before. It saddened her to think that just her presence upset him so much, but it also made her more determined to sort things out between them as well.

She could see him keep flicking the odd glance her way. A faintly quizzical expression marring his brow as he attempted to figure out why she was there.

The last customer left the store and she walked up to the counter, bright smile back in place. "Hi."

Gio rested his hands on the work surface in front of him and leaned forward slightly. The action flexed his arms, defining his biceps and stretching the already tight, dark blue t-shirt he wore under his apron even more snugly across his chest.

"What can I get you today, Suarez?" he asked impassively.

Betty dragged her wandering gaze back up from his body to his eyes and stared at him blankly for a moment. What was she there for? Oh yeah.

"I have a proposition for you," she began. His eyebrows rose at her choice of words but she ignored it and continued, "Mode is holding a party to promote a new designer and I'm arranging all the catering. I thought it'd be a good idea to use some of the local businesses and I want you." Her eyes widened and she corrected in a rush, "I…I mean, I'd like to hire you. For your food. For the party."

Gio remained silent for a few moments, obviously thinking over what she'd said then slowly shook his head. "I don't think it's a good idea," he refused, dryly.

He came around the front of the counter and walked passed Betty to clear some rubbish from one of the two tables he had in the store.

"What? Why?" Betty demanded as she followed him over.

Gio turned around and almost bumped into her, she was so close. He immediately took a couple of steps back to gain some space between them and frowned. "Because, Suarez, it would be awkward," he replied, sardonically.

He moved to go back around her, but she put out her hand and gently grasped his arm, stopping him. She could feel the play of muscles as they moved reflexively under her touch. He swallowed and glanced down at her hand then brought his guarded gaze back up to her face.

"Please say yes, Gio," she coaxed softly as she reluctantly removed her hand. "Don't let our past stop you from doing something that could be good for both you and your business. We're running a piece on the party in the magazine so the deli would be mentioned along with the other local businesses that agree to cater. In return, we get some really great sandwiches for our guests." She smiled persuasively. "It's really a win, win situation all round."

Gio looked away and let out a small sigh. She was making it very hard for him to refuse. He could see the sense of what she was proposing and knew he'd be stupid to turn down the chance of some free advertising in a magazine like Mode. But still, he hesitated.

"Did I mention that Mario Batali is going to be there?" Betty added slyly. It was her trump card and she hoped it'd work. "As a local businessman and contributor, you're automatically invited to the party so it'd be an opportunity for you to actually meet him."

"Mario Batali?" Gio echoed incredulously as he turned his head to look at her again. At her nod, his internal battle was lost. Closing his eyes, he shook his head slightly as he mentally slapped himself for being so easily won over. "OK, I'll do it," he muttered grudgingly before walking away to dispose of the rubbish he still held.

"Great!" Betty exclaimed before opening her bag and rummaging through it. Pulling out her work diary, she opened it up and began looking at dates. "OK, the party's on the twenty-fourth and we'll need to meet up a couple of times a week to work out the details of your menu. So, what days are good for you?"

She looked at him expectantly and Gio felt his stomach drop as he stared back at her in dismay. His heart began to thump heavily in his chest as it suddenly dawned on him exactly what he'd agreed to. Meeting with her twice a week was going to be a strain, to say the least. "Can't I just write something down and get Matt to give it to you when he does his round?"

"No, Gio, I have to go through the list of guests with you so that we make sure we're catering for everyone's requirements," she told him with a faint air of annoyance. Looking down briefly, she adjusted her glasses and adopted a nonchalant tone to add, "It's something I do with all the caterers."

Had he not been trying to deal with his own turbulent emotions, he'd have noticed her awkwardness and known she wasn't telling the truth.

"Tuesdays and Thursdays are fine for me," he finally disclosed resignedly after a moments silence.

"About four o'clock?" Betty suggested. At Gio's nod she made a note in her diary and put it back in her bag. "OK, so, I'll see you at Mode on Tuesday and we'll go over the forms you need to sign first," she confirmed brightly then held out her hand for him to shake.

Gio looked at it warily. His arm still tingled from where she'd touched him before. Slowly, he reached out and clasped her hand firmly. His heart leapt at the contact and his gaze flew to hers. Seeing her soft smile, he knew he was in very real danger of being dragged in by her again.

If he let himself.

Finding a resolve he didn't know he had, he released her hand and stepped back, trying to regain some composure. It was a simple handshake for heaven's sake, nothing more.

"See you Tuesday, Suarez," he uttered, quietly.

Betty nodded before turning and walking slowly to the door. Grabbing the handle, she pulled it open then paused and looked back at him. "Bye, Gio…and thanks for agreeing to help out. I really appreciate it."

Once outside, she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The easy part was over, now all she had to do was try and win back the love of the man she'd cast carelessly aside.

She smiled to herself and walked briskly down the street. Breaking Gio's defences down was going to be hard work but at least she now had the chance to do so. She was hopeful that she hadn't burned all the bridges between them and that she could show him just how much he meant to her.

She had to show him what was in her heart.

She had to show him that she loved him.

END CHAPTER FOUR


	5. Week One

_"I guess it's just no use…"_

_~Painted On My Heart~ The Cult_

Tuesday – 4.23pm

Gio walked down the corridor of Mode feeling as though all eyes were upon him. He knew he was being paranoid but he couldn't help it. He approached the reception desk and grimaced slightly as he caught sight of Amanda.

Lounging back in her chair, she eyed him expectantly as he came to a stop in front of her desk.

"I'm here to see…"

"Betty. I know," the blonde finished for him. She raised a perfectly plucked brow. "You're late."

Gio huffed in annoyance. He knew he was late. Undecided as to whether he should turn up for the meeting at all, he'd not left his store until four o'clock. Once outside the Meade building, he'd then paced up and down for a few more minutes still deliberating his folly at agreeing to help out. At the end of the day though, Gio knew that once he'd given his word to do something, he'd follow it through. Whatever the cost to him emotionally.

"I got held up at the deli," he replied, abruptly.

"Really?" Amanda asked, suddenly interested. She leaned forward with an eager smile. "Were there guns? How did you get away?"

Gio looked back at her like she'd grown another head. Was she really that stupid? "I meant I had a last minute customer," he clarified, talking slowly so that she'd understand.

"Oh. Boring," she commented as she leant back in her chair again, clearly disinterested in him now. "Betty's at her desk," she said waving vaguely to her right before picking up a fashion magazine and flicking through it. "You remember where that is, right?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

Gio walked off shaking his head. How some people got jobs he'd never know. He continued on through the corridor and into the office area where Betty had her desk. His stomach churned slightly and he stopped for a moment, knowing that he was about to see her again.

As he turned the corner, he could see that she was sat at her desk, head leant against her right hand as she absently twirled a pencil around with the fingers of her left. She looked very…sad.

She glanced up at that moment and a big smile lit her face as she caught sight of him. Gio automatically looked over his shoulder to see who was behind him then swallowed hard as he realised that her smile was for him alone. He hadn't expected that, nor did he welcome it.

There was no way Betty Suarez was going to sneak back into his life, no matter how much his heart leapt at the knowledge that she was so obviously pleased to see him. No doubt it was merely just relief that he'd showed up. Wouldn't be good for Mode's party if one of the caterers let them down, he told himself cynically.

Adopting a nonchalant look, he shoved his slightly shaking hands into the pockets of his brown leather jacket and strolled towards her.

"I didn't think you were going to come," said Betty as Gio came to a halt a little way from her desk.

Suspicion confirmed, he looked down ignoring the pang of regret. "Sorry, had a last minute customer," he muttered, unable to meet her eyes. Lying to Betty wasn't quite as easy as lying to Amanda.

"That's OK. You're here now, that's all that matters," she replied brightly then patted the chair next to her. "Sit down, I've got some papers for you to sign."

Gio regarded the piece of furniture as though it might bite him before eventually sitting down. He took his hands out of his pockets then rested them casually on the desk as he sat back and waited.

Betty shuffled a few papers around making it look as though she were searching for the appropriate forms. The fact that she'd had them ready since ten o'clock that morning was one she didn't want him to know.

"Ah, here they are," she exclaimed, holding up the numerous forms he had to sign.

She put them down in front of him and he looked through them in amazement. There were contracts, health and safety forms, indemnities, waivers, even a paper outlining the way he was to invoice Mode.

"You're kidding me, right?" he questioned dryly. "All these for a bunch of sandwiches?"

"Mode likes to cover itself for any eventuality," Betty explained with a shrug.

"There's one here that states Mode's not responsible if I set fire to myself!" he commented in disbelief as he held up said form.

Betty smiled self-consciously. "Oh, that's just to do with an incident that happened a couple of years ago," she dismissed quickly before changing the subject. "Do you have a pen?"

Gio shook his head and she produced one that had a bright orange, fluffy creature-type topper on the end. It was so Betty that Gio couldn't help the soft pull of a smile he felt half forming on his lips.

Reaching out to take the pen, his fingers gently brushed against Bettys' who had yet to relinquish her hold. Their gazes met and Gio felt the usual heat course through his body whenever he happened to touch her. The wall he had erected around his heart wobbled slightly and a tiny piece broke away as he lost himself in the depths of her dark brown eyes and the feel of her soft, warm skin. He wondered how such a simple, innocent act could cause so much chaos within him…especially since he knew she didn't feel the same.

Gathering his inner reserves, he pulled the pen away from her grasp, almost snatching it in his haste. Looking down, he hurriedly started to sign any piece of paper that was in front of him. He needed to get out of there and get some space. The last thing he wanted was for Betty to realise he still had feelings for her and staring at her like a besotted kid while stroking her hand wasn't going to help that.

A few minutes later, he put the pen down and shuffled the papers together. "All done," he stated curtly as he put the completed forms down in front of her then stood up. "I'll see you Thursday."

"What? Wait!" cried Betty in amazement as she also stood up. "You're leaving?"

Gio turned back to look at her. "Yeah. You wanted me to sign the forms and I have. Now, I'm going."

Betty looked confused. "But I thought we could go over your menu."

The young Italian made a show of looking at his watch and shook his head. "Not today. I've still got a couple of things I need to do back at the deli." He took a couple of steps backwards before adding, "Besides, I don't have anything prepared yet. I'll see you later, Betty."

He turned away before she could say anything more and walked off as quickly as he physically could without actually running. He had to keep some dignity.

Once out of the building, he paused and took in a deep breath then released it slowly. Not his finest hour by any means, but at least he'd got out relatively unscathed. He headed back to his store at a brisk pace and went in to find Matteo just finishing up mopping the floor.

"You didn't have to do that, Matt," Gio told his cousin with a frown.

"I know, but you had that meeting with Betty so I thought I'd help out," he replied as he paused in his work. "So, how did it go?"

Gio looked at his cousin and knew that he referred to more than just the business side of the meeting. "Fine. I signed the papers and left," he told him, refusing to acknowledge anything more. "I've got to sort out a menu to take back on Thursday so I'm going to make a start on it tonight."

He walked off towards the back room without another word and sat down at the table his feelings in turmoil as he thought back over his encounter with Betty. He knew that working for Mode was going to be good for business; he just wasn't that sure it was going to be good for him.

Thursday – 4.06pm

Gio headed towards Betty's desk on legs that felt like lead. He hadn't been looking forward to their meeting at all. The only redeeming feature so far had been that Amanda wasn't on reception as he'd passed by. At least he hadn't had to suffer trading inane pleasantries with the intellectually challenged blonde.

As he approached, Betty looked up and smiled, giving him a small wave. She gathered together a few sheets of paper and a pen then stood up as he came to halt nearby.

"Hi," she greeted warmly.

"Hi."

"Did you bring your menu today?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, right here," he replied, producing a piece of paper from his pocket and holding it up.

"Great. I've booked one of the private meeting rooms so we won't be disturbed," she explained before gesturing for him to follow her.

Gio closed his eyes briefly in dismay. Was there someone up there conspiring against him? Really? A private room? With a sigh of resignation, he followed her down a hallway and into a light but compact meeting area.

Betty sat down on one of the chairs and pointed at another for Gio to do the same. Wanting to maintain his distance but not be obvious, he pulled out the chair and deftly moved it a few inches further along the table so that he was still close but just not too close.

"OK, here's the list of guests who have confirmed their attendance so far," she told him as she placed a sheet of paper on the table between them. "And here's their dietary requirements."

Gio added his proposed menu to the pile then leaned forward to take a look and was horrified when Betty suddenly said, "Oh here, let me move up a bit so we can both see more."

The sound of her chair scraping across the floor grated on his already taut nerves and he clenched his jaw in order to remain silent.

"That's better," she commented perkily, now sitting so close to him that they were almost touching. She flashed him a smile then bent her head and began reading through the various papers in front of them.

Gio knew he should be doing the same but when she'd moved, he'd caught a hint of the scent she was wearing. It was so familiar to him that his eyes drifted shut as he instinctively leaned closer to her, inhaling deeply. Memories of the times she'd allowed him near her clouded his mind. Their awkward embrace, their dancing together…their amazing kiss…

"Gio, are you OK?"

The feel of her hand on his arm pulled him abruptly from his thoughts. His lids flew open and he stared at her concerned features for a moment.

"I'm fine," he finally replied, getting a grip of himself and pointedly looking down at the pages on the desk. "Now, where were we?"

Betty stared at him for a few seconds more then removed her hand and continued discussing the guests and their preferences again.

Half an hour later, Gio was on his way out of the Meade building. He'd managed to conduct the rest of meeting in a relatively business-like manner. Sure, he'd had to stop himself from reaching out to touch her hair a couple of times when it had fallen forward, obscuring her face. And there had been that one moment when she'd smiled at him that he'd almost leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss that would've knocked those ridiculously coloured socks of hers right off.

He reached the deli and went straight out to the back room then sat down. Matteo wasn't there tonight, thankfully, so he had some time alone to brood. What on earth had he been thinking by agreeing to this…this torture. Obviously, being a victim of unrequited love wasn't enough for him. No, he had to continue to see the object of his rejected affections just to have it rubbed in his face a little more.

But that wasn't all. The worst thing was that, in spite of everything, he could feel the carefully erected wall around his heart literally shaking on its foundations. Every time she smiled at him, touched him…was nice to him, he felt another small part crumble away.

It seemed as though, where Betty Suarez was concerned, he had no resistance.

All too soon he'd be following her around like the lapdog that Henry was…only he wouldn't be getting any of the perks that went along with being the boyfriend. That said, he knew couldn't walk away either. It was a catch 22 and the only thing he had left was his pride.

A pride that'd ensure he'd hide his feelings to the bitter end…he hoped.

END CHAPTER FIVE


	6. Week Two

_"In every part of me…"_

_~Painted On My Heart~ The Cult_

**TUESDAY – 4.17pm**

Gio wasn't coming.

Betty had received a phone call from him earlier that afternoon. Apparently, the cash register had developed a fault and he was going to have to stay and wait for someone to come out and fix it. He'd then made a throwaway comment saying that if the guy came to fix it early enough, he'd still come over.

Naturally, Betty had grasped that idea with both hands and had been waiting hopefully ever since four o'clock. Unfortunately, it was a futile hope. He wasn't going to show.

She picked up the phone and debated whether to give her sister a call or not. A few seconds later, she put it down again, deciding against it. Hilda had listened to her going over and over what had happened with Gio for the past week. One more phone call would probably test even the most loving of sisterly affection.

She glanced optimistically across the room again, but to no avail. She let out a huff of frustration then leaned back in her chair and folded her arms in an attempt to stifle the urge to pick the phone up once more.

In truth, Gio's no show was to be expected. Their previous meetings had been a disappointment to say the least. As usual, Betty's expectations had far exceeded the actual event. She'd naively hoped that once Gio and she had spent some time together, their relationship would just fall back into place. It had been a surprise to find Gio so…resistant.

The trouble was, she only had other peoples' opinions to go on regarding Gio's supposed continuing affections for her…she'd never actually witnessed it for herself.

There had been odd moments when she'd thought she could see something in his eyes as he stared at her, but he'd always look away too quickly for her to be sure, leaving her to wonder if she'd simply imagined it.

To be honest, it was a shock seeing it from Gio's side. Having her attempts at conversation knocked back, time and again; not being given the chance to say or do much. Was that how Gio had felt as he'd patiently stood by while she'd stumbled along with Henry? Like someone had built a huge stone wall that you were constantly tapping at in the hopes of finding that one, single brick that might be loose…that just might give you the tiny chance of getting through?

She didn't like it. It had shaken her confidence and she was treading cautiously, not wanting to declare her feelings nor reveal too much just in case everyone's 'opinions' were wrong.

In short, she was petrified.

Hilda had urged her to just tell Gio how she felt, but she couldn't. She wasn't that brave. She needed some guarantee that he felt the same – not just supposition or hearsay. She was scared that he would tell her that he didn't have feelings for her anymore and then she would be left with nothing. At least this way she had something, however small.

"Weren't you supposed to be in a meeting with Gio now?" Daniels' voice suddenly said, snapping her out of reverie. He'd been on his way back to his office and had noticed Bettys' sombre face.

His assistant nodded. "I was, but he's not coming today. Problem with his till," she supplied flatly, unable to resist another quick look across the office.

Daniel frowned slightly. "So, how's it going with you two? Are you friends again?"

"I wouldn't say that," she admitted with a grimace.

Her boss moved nearer and patted her consolingly on the shoulder. "Give it time. I'm sure it'll all work out. Gio likes you too much for it not to."

Suddenly, Betty snapped. She'd had enough of people telling her that the deli owner still liked her when she'd seen nothing to prove it.

"Really?" she said in frustration as she stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of her boss. "How can you be so sure?"

"Well, I…"

"I mean, it's not like he's rushing over here to see me, is it?" she continued, her voice rising as she started to pace in agitation.

"Well, no…"

"I know I hurt him, Daniel, but can't he see that I regret that?" she questioned plaintively.

"I guess…"

Suddenly, all her indignation vanished as quickly as it had appeared. She shrugged her shoulders and folded her arms as she looked down. "It's all just so awkward between us. I don't know how to act around him anymore. I want to say so much but I can't and he…he doesn't even want to talk to me, at all." She looked up at her boss miserably and added softly, "And, I just…I'd give anything to see him smile at me like he used to…I think I miss that most of all."

Daniel let out a long sigh and shook his head. "I know you're upset, but don't you think that Gio probably feels exactly the same way, Betty?" he pointed out reasonably. "And, he's got the added dilemma of thinking that you never returned any of his feelings in the first place. You've not only hurt his heart, you've hurt his pride as well. Take it from me, he's not just going to lay himself open for you to walk all over him again…he needs to see something from you first." Daniel paused then smiled wryly before adding, "Even then he may not quite believe it, so cut the guy some slack. It'll all work out in the end."

Betty stared at her boss for a few moments, mulling over his words. She had expected him to be his usual sympathetic self with her and merely utter some inane platitudes that would make her feel better. His insightfulness had come as a surprise.

"Thanks, Daniel, I hadn't thought of it like that," she admitted softly.

Her boss nodded then walked away to his office while Betty moved to her desk and sat back down on her chair. What Daniel had said was true; Gio's pride was hurt, probably just as much as his heart.

Suddenly, she understood exactly why he was so resolutely maintaining his distance. Gio was passionate and loyal but, also, not a man to give himself lightly. To have that thrown back in his face must have been agonizing. It was a sobering thought and she realised that getting past his injured pride was going to be the bigger obstacle to overcome…if at all.

**THURSDAY – 4.04pm**

Gio approached Betty's desk with a feeling of trepidation. He'd felt bad about not turning up for their meeting on Tuesday and in a moment of madness had grabbed a cake from his counter to give her by way of apology. It was a spur of the moment decision that he'd regretted even before entering the Meade building.

She was on the phone as he reached her desk and she gave him a bright smile as she gestured for him to take a seat. He did as he was bade then ran a hand through his cropped hair and took in a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions. They seemed to be all over the place lately. With head and heart constantly at war, he felt drained. Seeing Betty was proving to be tougher than he'd imagined and yet, instead of being relieved that he'd had a respite on Tuesday, he'd found himself wishing he had gone to the meeting.

The problem was, with Betty treating him like an actual person rather than an annoyance for a change, the feelings he'd buried deep down inside had slowly inched their way, ever upwards, to the surface.

He tried to force them back down, he really did, but it was a battle he was never destined to win. That didn't mean he had to show it though. The last thing he wanted was for Betty to realise that he was still harbouring feelings for her. He was meant to have moved on by now, not be sat there surreptitiously looking at her while she spoke to someone on the phone.

He'd noticed that she had a headband in her hair today. It was a style he particularly liked on her and had told her so on more than one occasion. A few tendrils had managed to escape being held back and were softly framing her face in a way he loved.

She glanced over at him and he immediately looked down, making a show of searching through his pockets for his slightly modified menu. He actually hadn't realised the job would be quite so involved. He'd thought he'd just make some sandwiches and if people wanted them, they'd eat them and if they didn't, they wouldn't. Simple as that. He hadn't realised there were so many different fad diets out there. No salt, no protein, no carbs, no fat…he swore some people must survive purely on water and nothing else. Apparently, just like his life, everything had to be complicated.

"OK, I will. Love you, too. Bye."

Gio's head jerked up at her words, his stomach churning as he wondered who her latest conquest was now. She certainly didn't waste any time…

"Papi said to say, 'Hi'," she informed him brightly.

Oh. "Thanks," he mumbled, feeling more than a little foolish at his jealous thoughts.

"Is your register fixed now?" Betty asked conversationally as she stood up and gathered together everything that they'd need for their meeting.

The deli owner nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't anything too bad. It didn't take him long to fix it," he told her as he also stood then followed her down the corridor and into the meeting room. They settled themselves in their seats then Gio glanced over at her feeling the sugary snack he'd brought with him burning a hole in his jacket pocket.

Without giving himself time to think, he reached into his coat then pulled out a small brown paper bag from his inside pocket and placed it on the desk front of her. Betty stared at it quizzically.

"I bought you something from the deli," he informed her gruffly. "It's…uh…it's an apology for not turning up on Tuesday."

Bettys' heart leapt at the unexpected gesture and she gave him a big smile before reaching for the bag. "Thank you, Gio, that's really nice," she gushed warmly.

He merely shrugged and picked up his pen. "Right, so where do we start today?"

Taking his lead, Betty put the bag to one side and began working through the ever-growing list. Just over an hour later they were finally finished for the day and packed everything up then left the room.

Betty was still clutching her precious gift and as they reached her desk she impulsively asked, "Do you want to get some coffee? We could share whatever you brought me."

"I'd better not," he declined after a moments pause. "I've got…"

"Things to do," she finished for him with a small smile. "I know."

Gio gave a slight nod of his head then turned and left. Betty stood and watched him go then sat down at her desk. Putting her files to one side, she opened up the paper bag then reached in and pulled out a large black and white cookie.

With a sharp intake of breath, she was besieged with memories from the last time Gio had given her one of those. It was the day he'd kissed her, so passionately, at the deli. Her lips tingled at the recollection. Did he remember that too? Is that why he'd given her that particular cookie? Or was it simply just that it was first one he'd picked up? She had to know if it meant something or not.

Gio had just stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor when he turned to see Betty running towards him, calling his name. He automatically reached out to hold the doors back and stared at her questioningly. "Everything OK?"

"Yeah…I…" she panted out, trying to catch her breath.

His gaze dropped down to the cookie that was grasped tightly in her hands and he felt a warmth rush into his cheeks. He knew it'd been a mistake to choose that particular cookie. He hadn't even done it consciously, he'd merely thought of her and his hand had instinctively grabbed it.

He looked down, trying to dispel the memories of how she'd felt when he'd kissed her. Her lips, her tongue…the little groan she'd made. How was it that he could recall every tiny detail as if it were just minutes ago? It shouldn't be like that, not after all this time.

Betty noticed his reaction and finally felt the first, small spark of hope flare in her chest. He obviously remembered that day as much as she did, otherwise he would be able to look at her. She knew this was her chance to heed both her sister's and Daniel's advice. She wanted to give Gio some kind of sign and seeing him blush slightly had given her the much needed courage to do so.

"I just wanted to say thank you again, for the cookie," she said, holding it up with a smile. "I never got to try the one you gave me last time, I guess I…we got a little…sidetracked."

Gio looked up and stared at her with a slight frown, surprised that she were even mentioning that day. The Betty he knew would've pretended it'd never happened.

At his continued silence, Betty took a step forward and sighed. "Look, Gio, when I think back to that day, the only thing I regret is slapping you. I shouldn't have done that and I'm sorry. I just…I'd really like us to be friends again. Do you think that's possible?"

The deli owner couldn't believe they were having this conversation by an elevator. In fact, he wasn't sure he could believe they were having it at all. It was only when he stared deep into her eyes that he saw she meant every word.

The wall around his heart shook unsteadily once more. A large chunk broke away, leaving him feeling lighter than he had in ages. He'd never regretted his impulsive action either and it was good to finally hear her say the same. Realising it must have been very hard for her to admit, Gio finally listened to his heart for a change and came to a decision he hoped he wouldn't rue in the future.

Letting go of the elevator door, he took a step back and just as the doors began to shut he said, "Friends I think I can do, Suarez. I'll see you next week."

The doors closed and Gio smiled. He was certain that once he got home that night, he'd question his sanity and deliberate long and hard over what had made him yield. To be honest, he didn't know whether it was her pleading eyes, a reaction to all the memories or simply the fact that deep, deep down, he'd really wanted to say yes.

At that moment he didn't care what his reasons had been. All he knew was that, for the first time in months, he actually felt happy.

END CHAPTER SIX


	7. Week Three

_"…Is still a part of you."_

_~Painted On My Heart~ The Cult_

**TUESDAY – 4.00pm**

The trouble with being 'friends' was that it didn't really work when you were actually in love with the other person. This was something both Gio and Betty realised within the first few minutes of seeing each other again.

Awkward didn't even begin to describe the atmosphere between them. Conversation was stilted at best and Betty had become even more clumsy than normal. Gio knew it didn't bode well for the meeting when she sharpened five pencils in a row and managed to break each one as soon as the tip touched the paper.

The more flustered Betty got, the more agitated Gio became until they ended up barely saying a word to each other. It wasn't a good start.

Sixth time being the charm, Betty finally found a pencil that didn't break and they settled down to work. They were at her desk as their usual room had been booked out by a reporter.

For some reason, this seemed to make the situation worse. Betty felt extremely self-conscious being where everyone could see them. Daniels' grin, accompanied by a thumbs up gesture before he'd entered his office a few minutes before, obviously hadn't helped either.

She stared down that the page in front of her, racking her brains for something to say, when a shadow fell across the desk. She looked up and grimaced. Speak of the devil…

Daniel stood there smiling down at them both with a glint in his eye that Betty didn't like. She knew that look, it usually meant mischief.

"Hey, Gio, it's good to see you again," Daniel greeted the deli owner amiably. He held out his hand and Gio stood up then clasped it, giving it a firm shake.

"It's good to see you too, Daniel," Gio replied politely.

Daniel gestured for the other man to sit back down then glanced between the two before casually asking, "So, how's it all going? Do you think you'll be ready for the party on Friday?"

They both nodded. "Gio's got some great ideas for the sandwiches," Betty told him enthusiastically. "He's found a good alternative for those people with special dietary needs."

"Yeah; lettuce," the deli owner supplied sardonically. "According to the list, everyone can eat it."

Daniel chuckled. "Personally, I can't stand all those fad diets but we do have to make sure they're catered for, so I'm glad you've got it covered." He paused then, glancing at them both again, he added, "I'm glad that you decided to help out, Gio. You've been missed around here."

Betty looked up sharply, her eyes narrowing slightly at his words as she tried to read the thoughts going on behind his seemingly innocent façade.

Not noticing her reaction, Gio stared at him quizzically. "Really?" he queried incredulously.

"Yeah, you had a certain…charm with the models that your cousin seems to lack," Daniel revealed with a grin.

Gio smiled and shook his head. "I'd better speak to Matt about that. Can't have him letting the Rossi name down."

"No, please, I like my models happy," the other man retorted dryly. The internal relief that Betty had felt over Daniel's innocuous disclosure was short lived when he then added, "I like seeing Betty happy too. You know, she was really determined to have you…"

"Daniel!" Betty suddenly cut in loudly to stop her boss talking. "Did you see that report I put on your desk?"

Daniels' surprise at being interrupted gave way to a puzzled look. "No."

"Oh, well, it's very important," she remarked urgently as she stood up and grabbed him by the arm. Dragging him away, she added, "I'd better show you where it is because I really need your signature on that today."

"But…"

Betty didn't give him a chance to speak. She all but hauled him into his office then released his arm and spun around to face him. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded furiously, hands on hips.

"What do you mean?" he countered in a bewildered tone.

"Don't try that with me, Daniel. I've worked for you for over two years now, remember? I know your phony innocent face when I see it!"

Daniel stared at her for a few seconds then sighed and sat down on the chair behind his desk. "OK, you got me," he admitted with an unrepentant grin. "But I was only trying to nudge you two in the right direction."

"We don't need a nudge," Betty told him firmly. "We had a talk last week and now we're friends again."

"Oh, friends, that's great," her boss congratulated with a hint of mockery. "Yeah, I could tell that from the way you two were ignoring each other."

Betty folded her arms. "We were working," she retorted defensively. "And I'd appreciate it if you stayed in your office and pretended to do the same while Gio's here."

Adopting a contrite expression, Daniel held his hands up in surrender. "I won't interfere any more, I swear," he told her solemnly. Unfortunately, under her suspicious scrutiny, he was unable to contain his grin, which completely ruined the whole effect.

Betty rolled her eyes and shook her head in annoyance. "Just stay here," she ordered firmly as she turned to go.

"Uh, Betty?" her boss began, halting her progress. "Don't you think you should at least pretend to show me the report that's supposed be on my desk?"

Betty stared at him blankly for a moment having forgotten the ruse she'd used to get Daniel away from Gio as fast as she could.

Daniel's gaze flicked towards his office window to where Gio sat beyond staring at them both quizzically. "Gio's been watching you ever since we got in here. Might look odd if you don't move some papers about."

Betty's eyes widened and she slowly turned her head to see that the young Italian was, indeed, staring at them both with great interest. "Oh God, quick, grab a file or something," she said, turning back to Daniel, slightly panicked at thought of being caught out.

Her boss had already pre-empted her and, with a smug smile, he held up a slim folder. "Go. Be with your friend. I'm going to stay here and read through my urgent report."

Betty let out a sigh relief. "Thank you."

Ignoring his loud chuckle, she walked out of the office then paused. She still felt a little flustered. Not ready to go and face Gio right at that moment, she flashed him a false, bright smile then headed off to go and get some coffee to give her time to calm down. Five minutes later, she returned with the drinks and a sense of calm.

"I thought you could use a coffee," she explained, putting the steaming mug down on the desk in front of Gio.

"Thanks." He watched her take her seat, curious to know what had taken place between her and Daniel. It was obvious that her boss had been about to say something that Betty didn't want to him to hear and it made him wonder what the hell was going on.

Different thoughts raced through his mind but one kept pushing its way forward. Was she merely being nice to him to get what she wanted? Was this all just a manipulation on her part? Sucker him in again so that she got her job done and then, when the party was over, it'd be bye-bye Gio, thanks for helping, don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out?

He shifted uneasily in his seat. She'd used him before; was it really so wide of the mark to think she'd do it again? He wasn't so sure.

Oblivious to Gio's ruminations, Betty methodically carried on with their meeting. Trying to ignore the fact that he seemed to be even less responsive than before, if that were possible, she mentally raged against Daniel and his meddling.

She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't pay enough attention when she leaned forward to grab a piece of paper.

And that's when it happened.

Drawing back, her elbow knocked against Gio's coffee causing it to tip over. As if in slow motion, she watched the hot liquid contents cascade down, straight into Gio's jean clad lap.

Letting out a yelp of surprised pain, Gio leapt up and automatically tried to brush off as much of the burning liquid that he could.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry," Betty exclaimed, mortified.

Acting on pure instinct, she grabbed the box of tissues on her desk and pulled out a handful. Dropping to her knees in front of him, she reached out and began dabbing at the soaked area of his groin, trying to absorb as much of the coffee as she could.

Gio drew in a sharp breath and stilled under her ministrations, not quite sure whether to laugh or cry. Hands balling into fists at his sides, he looked down at the top of her head, swallowing hard at the sudden surge of heat that raged through his responsive body under her naïvely unhelpful actions. Her position in front of him brought to mind a far more erotic act that he couldn't dispel from his overactive brain.

"Betty…" he choked out, knowing he should stop her, but at the same time, craving her intimate touch.

A loud humming filled his ears causing her apologetic voice to fade away as his blood raced through his veins. Ever downwards it flowed, striving to reach the part of his body she was guilelessly touching, making it surge into life.

Through his lustful haze, he suddenly became aware of Daniels' amused voice asking Betty what she was doing. The world came crashing back into sharp focus and Gio jerked away from her touch.

"I'd better go home and get changed," he announced in a strained voice.

Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed his jacket and clutched it to waist. Then, casting a final brief glance at Daniel's grinning countenance and Betty's horrified expression, he left.

Betty watched him go in dismay. How could she have been so clumsy?

"Wow, I wish I had more friends like you," Daniel commented on a chuckle.

His laugh grated on her taut nerves and she shot him a glare before turning around and throwing the stained tissues into the bin.

"It's not funny, Daniel," she admonished irritably as she sat down at her desk. "Did you see how angry he was?"

Daniel chuckled again, this time at his assistants' naivety. "Trust me, Betty, Gio was feeling a lot of things when you were on your knees patting his groin, but I doubt very much that anger was one of them."

With those words, he walked off leaving Betty to stare after him with a puzzled expression. Seconds later, she realised what he'd meant and drew in a shocked gasp. How could she not have realised? Head in hands, she let out a groan of embarrassment.

Being friends wasn't going to be quite as easy as she'd hoped.

**THURSDAY – 3.51pm**

Gio was early.

Betty, however, was going to be late, according to the double-sided note on her desk. She'd had to run a last minute errand for Daniel and wouldn't be back at the office until about a quarter past four.

She could've easily written one sentence to convey her message but, instead, she'd rambled on, very much as she had done in the note he'd received from her the previous day. When Matt had returned from Mode the afternoon before, he'd handed Gio a piece of paper with a knowing smile.

"Betty asked me to give this to you," he'd explained with a wink.

Gio had ignored his cousins' insinuations and merely taken the note and stuffed it into his back pocket. He'd finally read it an hour later. It had been another apology from Betty over the coffee spill, saying that she hoped he wasn't too upset with her and that she would see him the next day.

In truth, he hadn't been upset, not with Betty at least. He was more embarrassed about his own reaction than what had actually happened. He'd never been so turned on, so quickly, by any woman in his life – it had really shaken him.

It had also given him the type of dreams he hadn't had since he was an inexperienced youth, back in his early teens.

Just thinking about the one he'd had that morning was enough to stir up his unruly body again. Running a hand through his hair, Gio took a deep breath and decided to go and get a drink. Sitting around waiting for Betty to return would only give him time to dwell on things he'd better forget.

Deciding to leave Betty a message, he checked her tidy desk but couldn't see any spare pieces of paper lying around to write on. Nor were there any notepads. Opening the nearest drawer, he reached in and grabbed some paper and a pen. It was only when he was about to write the note that he realised that he'd pulled out an old napkin.

Frowning slightly, he held it up and saw a picture of a pickle smiling back at him. He was stunned. Why would Betty keep an old, stained napkin from his deli? His mind raced at all the different possibilities and suddenly, it hit him.

The night of her twenty-fourth birthday. He'd tried to make it special for her and had ended up ruining it. At least, that's what he'd thought, but maybe he was wrong.

He stared at the napkin again not quite sure how to feel. His heart began to thud harder and he sat down heavily on the chair. What did this mean? Did Betty have feelings for him that he hadn't suspected?

All this time he'd thought she didn't care, not in any romantic way at least, but now he wasn't so certain. A tiny bubble of hope welled inside his chest causing the shaky wall around his heart to all but crumble into dust, leaving him feeling freer than he had in a long time.

His head, however, soon took charge again, reminding exactly why he'd attempted to cut himself off from Betty in the first place. Memories of how rejected he'd felt flooded his brain, bringing him back down to earth with a bump.

Reality was, she'd probably kept the napkin for sentimental reasons. They had been friends at the time and he'd help turn a bad birthday into something marginally better. He doubted there was anything more to it than that, but just knowing that evening actually meant something to her was oddly enough for him.

It was as though it proved a point. That despite all her denial at the time, she really had liked him. He sighed. It was about time to face facts and make a decision.

He knew a romantic relationship with Betty was out of the question, but could he really make their friendship work?

Truth was, he genuinely liked her and knowing she held some kind of affection for him made things more bearable somehow. If friends were all they'd ever be, then he was content with that, because he knew that now they'd made contact again, he wouldn't be able to drop out of her life a second time. He enjoyed the way she challenged him and knew he did the same for her – more than anything, he realised he didn't want to be without that in his life anymore.

He'd lived with his futile love for her and bitterness for long enough now. It was time to let those feelings go, for his own sanity if nothing else. An inner peace seemed to settle over him at that decision and he knew it was the right thing to do. They were friends. Nothing more. Nothing less.

With a smile, he put the napkin carefully back in the drawer and retrieved a proper piece of paper. Quickly jotting down a note, he went off in search of some coffee for them both. Upon his return, he saw Betty sitting at her desk. As he approached, she looked up and he gave her a warm, friendly smile.

Betty drew in a sharp breath and paused in what she was doing. Gio hadn't smiled at her like that since the day in the park when he'd taught her how to hit the softball. She'd waited so long to see it directed at her again that she actually had to blink back a few tears of joy.

"Hi," he greeted as he came to stop by her desk and placed a coffee down in front of her. "To show there's no hard feelings," he explained with another smile as he gestured towards the mug.

"Oh, thank you," Betty replied, colouring slightly. She smiled back at him and he took a sip of his own drink before sitting down.

"Right, party's tomorrow, let's get this menu finished," he stated purposefully.

Betty didn't know what had suddenly wrought the change in Gio but she wasn't about to question it. As they worked together, some of their old banter returned along with a companionable ease that had been missing for months.

Their meeting took a little longer than normal but it still went too fast for Betty. All too soon, Gio stood up to leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," he told her as he gathered up his belongings.

"Yeah," agreed Betty with a nod. She stood up and came around the desk to stand in front of him. "I'd wish you good luck, but I know you don't need it. Your sandwiches are going to be great."

Gio smiled at her praise. "Thanks."

They looked at each other with affection for a few seconds then Gio dropped his gaze and took a step back. "Bye, Suarez," he said gruffly, then turned and left.

Betty stared wistfully after him until he was out of sight then flung her arms around herself in a hug and grinned. After the way Gio had acted, Betty was absolutely certain that he would make a move at the party the next night.

Little did she know how wrong she'd be.

END CHAPTER SEVEN


	8. The Party

_"I've still got your face  
Painted on my heart  
Scrawled upon my soul  
Etched upon my memory, baby."_

_~Painted On My Heart~ The Cult_

Gio arrived at the party with his cousin, Matteo, a little later than planned. It was already in full swing and he was pleased to note that the sandwiches he'd spent the day preparing, seemed to be going down well.

Matteo walked off to get them both a drink and Gio surveyed the room searching for Betty. Across the dance floor, where a couple of models were showing off their moves, he saw her talking with Daniel.

A soft smile lifted his lips as he drank in the sight of her completely engrossed in her conversation. His gaze drifted down and he felt his heart skip as he saw the dress she was wearing.

It was the same one she'd worn at the school dance all those months ago.

The sight evoked such a torrent of memories from that evening that Gio had to momentarily close his eyes to ride out the storm. Opening his eyes again, he stared at her once more and realised that he had no better idea of what the hell was going on between them now than he had back then. It was a disturbing thought.

An ice cold bottle of beer was pressed into his grasp and he looked up to see Matteo standing next to him with a wry smile on his face.

"Drink, don't think," his cousin advised, taking a sip from his own bottle.

Gio smiled and had just taken a drink when Amanda approached them with a predatory eye and sexy smile.

"I haven't seen you around her before," she practically purred, blatantly looking Matteo up and down.

He glanced at Gio and then back at Amanda in confusion. "I'm here every day with the sandwich trolley," he remarked dryly.

Now it was Amanda's turn to look perplexed. "What? Are you sure? But you're so much taller than that guy," she stated.

Gio almost choked on his beer. Turning to his cousin he grinned and gave him a hearty slap on the back. "Good luck with that," he said sardonically before walking away.

Glancing over his shoulder, Gio chuckled when he saw that his cousin actually looked mildly alarmed as Amanda closed in on him. Turning back, his mirth vanished as his gaze rested on a sight that made his stomach churn.

There, right in front of him, Betty was now talking to a tall, dark-haired man he'd never seen before. And, from the way he was looking at her, there was no doubt in Gio's mind that he was very, very interested in Betty. He'd seen the exact same adoring expression on Henry's face a million times in the past and now, as then, she certainly seemed to be liking all the attention.

Stopping dead in his tracks, the feeling of inner peace he'd felt a little over twenty-four hours before, disintegrated completely. For some reason, this wasn't a scenario he'd considered when he'd made the hasty decision to make a go of their friendship. He wasn't prepared to see her with another man…especially so soon.

He watched as the guy leaned in to say something to Betty, his hand moving to lightly rest on her arm with an air of familiarity that rankled. A feeling of intense jealousy rose like bile in his throat making him want to gag but he forced it back down. He couldn't be jealous, he wasn't allowed to be. They were just friends and he had to live with it. This was how it was going to be if he chose to stay in her life.

He took a steadying breath and released it slowly. He could do this; it wouldn't be too hard. After all, he didn't really feel the need to go up to the guy and tell him to back off. He also didn't want to grab Betty and pull her as far away from the man as humanely possible. And he certainly didn't have any kind of urge to rip the guy's groping arm out of its socket and shove it so far up his ass he'd have to open his mouth to wave at people!

Smiling grimly at that mental image, Gio turned away. It was going to be a long night and he really needed another drink.

Out the corner of her eye, Betty saw Gio walk away and felt her heart sink. She'd been hoping he'd come over and rescue her from her new YETI programme partner, Matt. The guy was pleasant enough but proving to be a little clingy and he was taking their assignment to shadow each other's job a little too literally. It was really annoying.

She surreptitiously glanced over to where the young Italian was getting himself another drink and felt her heart skip a beat. He was wearing a black suit with a fitted shirt of midnight blue and he looked gorgeous.

"Betty? Everything OK?"

Betty sighed inwardly and rolled her eyes before pasting yet another polite smile on her face. "I'm fine, Matt, I just…I just need to go to the bathroom," she lied. Placing a hand over her stomach, she adopted a pained expression and added, "Something I ate."

Matt's eyes widened and he took a step towards her, reaching out to grab her arm. "Do you need someone to help? Should I get one of your friends…?"

"No! No, I'm good, I just need to go," she replied hastily before hurrying off, leaving Matt to stare after her in concern.

Once she was safely in the restroom, she let out a sigh of relief and checked her appearance in the mirror. Hilda had advised her to wear her homecoming dress again and she'd liked the idea. Smoothing it down, she wondered if Gio had remembered the last time she'd worn it. She hoped so. That evening had certainly left its mark on her because that was when Gio had told her he wanted to be The Guy.

At the time his declaration had frightened her a little, but now, if he ever said it to her again, she wouldn't hesitate to embrace it whole-heartedly. She wanted him to be Her Guy more than anything else in the world.

Giving her reflection one last look, she turned and walked out of the restroom. As soon as she entered the main hall again, her hopes of finding Gio and speaking to him alone were thwarted when Daniel approached. With him were her YETI partner, Matt and the renowned chef, Mario Batali.

"Betty, have you seen, Gio? I wanted him to meet Mario," Daniel explained.

Betty shook her head and searched the room for the sandwich maker's well-built form. Spying him in one of the furthest corners, she pointed him out and they all headed over to speak to him.

Betty was so excited about the prospect of Gio meeting his idol that she didn't notice that he looked less than happy to see them. While Daniel made the introductions, Matt moved closer to Betty then leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Are you OK now?"

She looked up at him then smiled and nodded her response.

Gio saw the exchange between the two and took it to be a far more intimate action than it actually was. Heart sinking, he tried to focus on what the red-haired chef was saying to him.

"…haven't had a sandwich that good in a long time. Betty here says that you use Danardo's cheese, is that right?"

"Uh, yeah," he replied, glancing at Betty.

"I've told Mr. Batali all about you and your deli," she added excitedly.

"Yes, she has," the chef concurred somewhat dryly. He saw the way Gio kept glancing at Daniel's assistant and the other young man then added, "I have a proposal for you Mr. Rossi. Why don't we go somewhere a little quieter and discuss it?"

Gio grabbed the idea with both hands. "Sure, Mr. Batali, I'd like that."

The two men walked away with Gio casting a quick glance behind him before the crowded room swallowed them up.

"I hope Gio agrees to Mr. Batali's idea; it'll help him out a lot," said Betty, turning to Daniel.

"He'd be stupid not to," her boss replied. "And Gio's certainly not that…well, not about business anyway."

Puzzled at his comment, Betty stared at him questioningly but Daniel ignored her and looked over at Matt instead.

"Hey, Mike, could you go get us some drinks?"

A faint flush coloured the younger man's cheeks. "It's Matt."

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Daniel apologised affably. "Drinks?"

Obviously not wanting to go but knowing he couldn't very well ignore the request, Matt gave Betty a warm smile then hurried away.

"He likes you," Daniel told Betty as soon as the younger man was out of earshot

"What?" asked Betty in surprise. "Who likes me?"

Daniel sighed heavily. "Matt, the YETI guy," he reiterated slowly.

She laughed and shook her head. "No, he doesn't…" she started to say, only to see Matt give her a little wave, a wink and big smile from where he stood at the bar. Her eyes widened in alarm and she quickly looked away feeling flustered. "Oh my God, Daniel, I think you're right," she said looking down self-consciously. "What am I going to do?"

"Well, if you're not interested, you should tell him," her boss advised simply.

Her head jerked up to look at him, aghast. "Of course I'm not interested," she retorted sharply.

Daniel raised his eyebrows at her tone. "I don't think Gio saw it like that," he remarked dryly. "He didn't look too happy when Matt whispered that sweet nothing into your ear just now."

Betty felt the blood literally drain from her face. "What?" she questioned faintly, feeling her stomach drop. The last she wanted to do was hurt Gio…even if it was misplaced on his part. "Matt wasn't whispering anything sweet," she dismissed quickly, before explaining how she'd tried to put some distance between them in order to speak to Gio alone. Now she wished she'd just simply told him rather than resorting to subterfuge so as not to hurt his feelings.

"He's coming back," Daniel observed, watching the young man weave his way through the other guests towards them.

When Matt reached them, he handed out their drinks and gave Betty another of his warm smiles which, this time, she didn't return. She heard her boss make some excuse then walk away, leaving her to deal with Matt alone.

"Matt, we…um…we need to talk," she began hesitantly.

The young man frowned slightly. "Uh-oh, why do I feel like I'm going to get the break-up speech before I've even asked you out on a date?" he asked a trifle glumly.

Betty sighed. "So you do like me then," she stated quietly.

Matt looked at her as though she'd grown another head. "Of course I like you. I thought you liked me too," he revealed candidly.

"Oh, I do," Betty hastened to reassure him. "But, just not like that. I'm in love with someone else."

Matt was obviously surprised by this revelation. "I didn't know you had a boyfriend," he said, his tone faintly accusing.

"I don't," she admitted slowly before letting out a long sigh. "He's…it's, well, it's complicated." She paused then added in recompense, "But I do think you're a nice guy and if it wasn't for him…" She trailed off and shrugged her shoulders.

Matt couldn't help but laugh at her backhanded attempt to make him feel better. "Thanks," he replied, sardonically.

"Sorry," she apologise with a grimace. "That didn't come out right."

Matt shook his head, still smiling. "How about you make it up to my dented ego and dance with me?" he suggested, putting down his glass and holding out his hand.

Betty stared at it unsure what to do.

"Come on," he cajoled. "Just friends, I swear. It's a fast dance so nothing romantic, just for fun."

"OK. For fun," she finally relinquished as she put down her own glass and took his hand. What harm could one little dance with a friend do?

Outside the hall, Gio and Batali were stood just far enough to the side so as not to be disturbed by other guests coming and going. After a few minutes of exchanging mutual appreciation of each other's craft, Batali actually got Gio's mind off of Betty by surprisingly offering to act as supplier for Danardo's cheese.

"I also use it in my restaurant and import it regularly," he informed the sandwich maker matter-of-factly. "I can sell you some on at a very reasonable price…much better than if you were to continue importing it yourself."

Gio was shocked at the offer. It would help him out no end and be a relief on his finances that he dearly needed. "What's in this for you, Mr. Batali?" he couldn't help but ask. It seemed odd to him that a top chef would make such an offer to a mere sandwich guy.

Batali smiled. "Betty told me a lot about you and your plans. You remind me of me when I was starting out," he revealed. "I know how hard it is and I also know talent when I taste it, Mr. Rossi. I think you'll go far, if that's what you want to do."

It was high praise coming from the man who'd inspired him to go into the food business and Gio found it hard to speak. "Thanks," he forced out, feeling completely thrown by the whole encounter. It seemed so surreal.

"Look, if you're interested, call me Monday and we'll cut a deal," Batali suggested, handing him a card. "Here's my number."

Gio took the card and stared at it while Batali walked off. He took a few minutes to regain some composure and then suddenly grinned as the full import of their impromptu meeting hit him. Mario Batali thought he had talent! Mario Batali wanted to help him out!

Gio headed towards the door of the hall, one thought paramount in his mind – he needed to tell Betty.

He entered the hall and avidly searched the room for her familiar form. Scanning across the dance floor, he saw her. With the man from earlier. Dancing.

All the elation left his body as he stared at them. He'd forgotten all about the dark-haired guy. It didn't register in his brain that they weren't even touching each other. All he saw was Betty laughing and enjoying herself with some other guy.

The ache he felt in his heart as he stood there was becoming second nature now. Putting Batali's card in his pocket, he straightened up slightly and looked to his left where Matteo was still pinned against the wall by Amanda. Deciding not to bother him, he looked back at the dance floor and made up his mind that telling Betty could wait.

With one last lingering look at the laughing couple, Gio turned and left.

END CHAPTER EIGHT


	9. Actions Speak...

_"I've got your kiss  
Still burning on my lips  
The touch of your fingertips  
Is love so deep inside of me, baby."_

_~Painted On My Heart~ The Cult_

Gio slowly opened his eyes, squinting against the bright, morning light that streamed into his apartment. With a groan, he raised a heavy arm and placed his hand against his forehead in order to dull the persistent thumping that knocked at his skull. His body ached from the awkward position he'd slept in and he belatedly realised that he must have passed out on his couch.

Head weighing a ton, he gingerly lifted it and waited for his bleary eyes to regain some kind of focus. With sandpaper for a tongue, he attempted to lick his incredibly dry lips and slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. He closed his eyes and sat there quietly for a few moments, waiting for his queasy stomach to settle down a little.

He really shouldn't have drank so much last night.

After leaving the party, he'd hailed a cab and gone to a local bar. Several beers and more than a few propositions later, he'd staggered out and just about made it back home.

Opening his eyes, he forced himself to stand and slowly headed for the bathroom. He shuffled over to the basin and gripped the sides, arms braced as he leaned forward and stared at himself in the mirror. It was not a nice reflection.

His best suit and new shirt were badly crumpled and his hair was sticking up and out in tufts all over his throbbing head. His bloodshot eyes were puffy and he had an overnight growth of stubble that gave a rough, haggard edge to his tired, pale face.

He felt shattered, emotionally as well as physically. The past few weeks had taken a lot out of him and just when he'd thought he'd reached a decision, it'd been all shot to hell. He just didn't know what to do anymore but thinking about that in his current state simply made his head ache even more.

He shrugged out of his jacket and let it fall haphazardly onto the floor. He then unbuttoned and took off his shirt, which ended up being dropped on top of the jacket. Reaching for his toothpaste and brush, he cleaned his teeth, restoring some moisture to his arid lips. Feeling marginally better, he then splashed some cold water on his face and dried it off before heading out of the bathroom and over to the kitchen, kicking his shoes off on the way.

He made himself some strong coffee then took a cup into his bedroom where he took a couple of headache pills and finished disrobing. Naked, he finished his drink then went back to the bathroom and picked up his discarded jacket and shirt. He tossed them onto the small washing bin in the corner then stepped into the shower. Turning it on, he stood still with head tilted back as the steaming water cascaded over him. He stayed like that for several minutes, emptying his mind of everything and just enjoying the refreshing feel of the water as it lashed down on his taut body. Eventually, he moved and washed himself, only leaving the shower when the water started to lose its warmth.

He dried and dressed himself in jeans and a tight black T-shirt then headed back, bare foot, to the kitchen and poured himself another coffee. He sat down at the small square wooden table he had then leaned back in his chair. Although his headache had eased a little, he still couldn't face food at that moment and since he'd made the decision, a week prior, to not to open the deli the day after the party, he was left with plenty of free time to brood alone.

Or so he thought.

A sudden loud knocking at the front door made him wince as the sound reverberated through his sore head. He'd barely stood up when the knocking sounded again.

"Gio, it's me. Open the damn door," came his cousins muffled voice.

Gio huffed at the unexpected intrusion and went over. The loud banging resumed once more and Gio tugged open the door with a scowl on his tired face. "Give me a chance to get here," he snapped at his cousin irritably.

"Your phone's off so I decided to come over and see if you were OK," Matteo responded defensively as he pushed passed Gio and into the apartment.

"Apart from a killer hangover, I'm fine," Gio declared brusquely. "So, if you don't mind…" He still held the door open and gestured for his cousin to leave.

Ignoring Gio's request, Matteo turned to face him with a grim expression on his face. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Gio enquired guardedly.

"Betty."

The name hung heavy in the air between them. Gio knew Matteo wasn't going to go until he'd had his say but that didn't mean he had to be co-operative. He slowly closed the door and turned around then folded his arms across his chest and frowned. "I don't want to talk about her," he finally stated, flatly.

"Well, you are!" Matteo countered firmly. "Do you have any idea how upset she was when we realised you'd done your little disappearing act?"

Gio shrugged and looked away. "I'm sure her boyfriend comforted her," he muttered jealously.

Matteo looked at him blankly. "What are you talking about?"

Gio remained silent as the pain in his head that had dulled to an ache surged back into throbbing life. He really didn't want to think about the previous evening at all. Just picturing Betty smiling at that smarmy guy made him feel sick.

Matteo sighed heavily and shook his head. Gio's defensive stance screamed at him to back off but he knew it was time to get the situation between the two sorted out once and for all. It was going to destroy them both if he didn't.

"Look, I don't know what's going on in that messed up head of yours, Gio, but the only guy doing any comforting last night was Daniel," Matteo informed him impatiently. "And from what I could see, the only boyfriend she's interested in having is you, you idiot!"

Gio's head snapped back around at that and he stared at his cousin in mute amazement.

Matteo let out a derisive snort. "Yeah, I don't understand it either, man," he mocked wryly.

Gio shot Matteo a glare then turned away and padded back over to the table where he'd left his coffee. He sat down then lifted the mug to his lips and took a long drink. His fuzzy head was finding it hard to process what his cousin had just revealed. He just didn't believe it. Betty had never wanted him in the past, so why would she now? His cousin must have been mistaken…or was simply yanking his chain…he couldn't decide which. Either way, he knew it wasn't true.

Matteo went over and poured himself a coffee then sat down across the table from his cousin. "I know you like her too, Gio, so what's holding you back?" he asked lightly.

Attempting to end the conversation he didn't want to have, Gio replied gruffly, "Nothing. I already told you, I'm not interested."

A lack of conviction belied his words and Matteo rolled his eyes in frustration. "Stop lying to me and yourself," he countered pointedly. "I've known you all my life, Gio, and I've never seen you act like this over a woman before. It's so obvious. You're in love with Betty and you need to admit that yourself then grow a set and go get the girl!"

Gio shook his head, his brow furrowing in annoyance at his cousins words. "Never gonna happen," he bit out harshly.

Matteo looked at him in disbelief. "Why the hell not?"

"Because I let her in once and she broke my heart!" Gio suddenly snapped, the pain evident in his raw voice and tortured eyes. "What if I got in even deeper this time and it happened again? I'm still not over it now. I couldn't go through this pain again. Not twice. Not with the same woman. I'm not that stupid."

Silence followed his outburst as Gio quickly stood up and walked over to the kitchen area. He emptied the contents of his still half full mug of coffee into the sink and placed the empty container onto the counter with a dull thud. He hadn't meant to blurt everything out like that but the hangover had weakened the usual control he had over his emotions. Besides, it had all been swirling around in his brain for so long now, it was actually a relief to finally let it out. He just wished he could have done it in a more level-headed way instead of simply shouting it at his cousin.

Matteo stared at his cousins' rigid set back and sighed heavily. He'd never seen Gio so indecisive nor so scared before. He'd always been the one who would grab an opportunity and hold onto it with both hands. His confidence and passion for life were traits he'd always admired in his cousin and to see him standing there so…so defeated and unsure was not a thing he wanted to witness again anytime soon. Was that really what love did to a person? If it was then he was extremely glad that it hadn't touched him yet.

Matteo stood up and walked over to Gio. He placed his own mug down on the counter then shoved his hands into his pockets and cleared his throat a little. "You know, Gio, I expected more from you, man," he began quietly. "All my life I've seen you go for what you want whether you had a chance to get it or not. It didn't matter because you believed you could do it and nine times out of ten, you pretty much did. But now…" he paused and shook his head sadly. "Now, all I see is a man who's prepared to give up on what could be one of the most important decisions in his life for a bunch of 'what ifs' and 'maybes'. When the hell did you get so gutless, Gio?"

With a final shake of his head, Matteo turned then walked over to the door and opened it. "Don't let her go, Gio, you'll regret it," he advised curtly before leaving the apartment and shutting the door firmly behind him.

Alone again, Gio turned and stared at the door, mulling over his cousins words. Matteo had told him some home truths that he hadn't wanted to hear but deep down he knew his cousin was right. He was gutless. Even he had a hard time recognising the person he'd become. And it was all over a woman. Who'd have thought it? Certainly not him. He ran a hand through his still damp hair then methodically made himself another pot of coffee and sat down at the table once more.

For the rest of the weekend, Gio stayed at home and contemplated what he wanted out of life and, just as importantly, what he wanted to do about Betty. After a lot of soul searching, he finally reached a decision.

Monday morning dawned and Gio got ready for work. He opened up the deli and prepared the many ingredients he'd need for the day. He was just paying for the bakery delivery when Matteo arrived.

As he stood and watched Gio, he realised that there seemed to be a new energy about him that had been missing for months. He was practically buzzing. Smiling to himself, he waited until the delivery guy had left then approached the counter slowly and looked at his cousin expectantly.

"Well? Did you speak to Betty?" he asked interestedly.

Gio shook his head. "No, but I did decide what I'm going to do," he admitted with a smile as he suddenly untied his apron and pulled it up over his head. Resolve shining in his eyes, he added, "Which is why you're going to look after the deli today while I take your advice to grow some and go get the girl."

Matteo laughed as Gio quoted his own words back to him and gave his cousin a hearty slap on the back. "Hell, it's about time!" he replied happily. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Gio replied as he chucked the apron at his cousin and left the store. After the way he acted at the party, he had a feeling he'd need all the luck he could get.

Betty trudged to her desk and dumped her large, multi-coloured bag down with a loud thump. The noise resembled the way her heart had sounded when she'd realised Gio had left the party without saying a word to her. Tears, once again, filled her eyes at the thought and she hurriedly blinked them back. She'd cried pretty much all weekend; surely there couldn't be any tears left by now?

She took off her coat and hung it up then sat on her chair and moved her bag to the floor. Pulling a tissue from her pocket, she dabbed at her eyes and noisily blew her nose. She just wished she could understand what had gone wrong.

"You look like hell."

Betty glanced up to see Daniel standing next to her, his wryly spoken words in direct contrast to the concern she saw on his attractive face.

"Thanks, I'm fine," she automatically replied, knowing her puffy eyes and red nose contradicted her statement.

"Have you spoken to him yet?" her boss asked, ignoring her blatant lie.

She looked down and made a show of tidying together some papers as she shook her head. "No. I tried to call him but his phone was switched off."

"So what are you going to do now?" Daniel pressed, knowing she needed to resolve the situation or it'd eat away at her.

Betty shrugged her shoulders and stood up. Unable to look at Daniel lest she started to cry again, she moved passed him and picked up a folder from her desk. "I think I'll leave it, he's obviously not interested, so…" She broke off as Daniel gently grasped her arm and forced her to face him.

"Well, I think you should try calling him again," her boss stated firmly. "Maybe this time you could even be honest and tell him how you actually feel."

Betty pulled her arm from his light hold and pushed her glasses back up on the bridge of her nose before shaking her head. "No Daniel," she rebuffed sadly. "I pushed him before and look what's happened. I'm not going to do it again. He knows where I am if he wants me."

"You're right, it looks like he does," her boss replied with a sudden grin as he gazed at something over her shoulder.

"What?" she queried in a puzzled tone before turning around to see what Daniel was staring at. "Gio?!"

With a look of determination on his handsome face, the young Italian ignored everyone around him that had stopped what they were doing to watch and strode purposefully towards the startled-looking Betty. His intention of offering an apology for his behaviour followed by an invitation to grab a coffee and talk had been blown to bits the moment he'd seen her and now he had only one thing on his mind.

Gio finally reached Betty and then, without saying a word, simply pulled her into his strong embrace and leaned in for a devastating kiss. His lips met hers forcefully, willing her to respond in kind.

This was it.

He'd laid himself open to the most humiliating kind of rejection if she chose to push him away…but she didn't.

Instead, he felt her arms wrap themselves tightly around his neck as she moved even closer into his hold. Her tongue darted out to meet his, deepening the kiss as one hand moved up to clutch at his short hair almost painfully. It wasn't a sweet kiss; it was passionate and urgent, laced with a tinge of desperation for all the weeks they'd held themselves back.

The folder Betty had been holding fell to the ground unnoticed. All eyes were on the couple who were so lost in each other, the outside world barely registered any longer.

Gio could hardly believe what was happening. He had steeled himself for the worst; not the kind of eager response from Betty that he was actually experiencing. After all these months, his poor battered, broken heart was suddenly full to the brim with a love that knew no bounds. It was a staggering change but one that he happily welcomed.

Feeling the need for air, Gio reluctantly ended the kiss and opened his eyes to gaze at the woman he loved. Her eyes were puffy, her nose was red and her lips were swollen from his heated kiss…but to him, she'd never been more beautiful than right at that moment.

Pulling out of their embrace, he grabbed her hand then looked around, seemingly noticing the people watching for the first time. "Show's over," he announced gruffly before turning to Daniel who was staring at them with a huge grin on his face. "Betty and I need to talk. Can we use a meeting room?"

"No; you can go both home and finish what you started just now," Daniel replied as bent down and picked up Betty's brightly coloured bag. He handed it to her and added, "I'll see you tomorrow, Betty."

Gio grinned and Betty let out a small gasp of embarrassment.

"Thanks, Daniel, I owe you one," said the young Italian, gratefully.

The older man nodded and then watched in amusement as Gio all but dragged his personal assistant out of the office.

Gio pushed the button for the elevator and the doors opened up straight away. They got in and he jabbed the button for the ground floor. It struck him then that he hadn't actually spoken to her since he'd turned up so unexpectedly.

Kissed, yes; talked, no.

He turned to face her and swallowed hard. He knew he should say something flowery and profound about his feelings for her but couldn't think of anything remotely suitable.

Instead, he simply blurted out, "I love you, Suarez."

Betty stared at him in surprise for a few seconds and then suddenly launched herself into his arms with a delighted cry. "I love you too, Gio," she said, clutching him tightly to her. "So much."

Gio chuckled at her response. He hadn't meant to divulge his feelings to her quite like that, nor so soon either, as he knew that there were still some things that were unresolved between them. He realized that until the air was cleared once and for all, it didn't matter how much love they had, their relationship would eventually struggle under the burden.

But talk was for later.

Right now he had an armful of Betty and a heart full of love. For Gio, it really didn't get any better than that.

END CHAPTER NINE


	10. ...Louder Than Words

_"I've still got your face  
Painted on my heart  
Painted on my heart  
Painted on my heart"_

_~Painted On My Heart~ The Cult_

The journey to Gio's apartment seemed interminably slow but they eventually arrived and headed inside. Now that they were completely alone, each felt a slight awkwardness over how to act with the other.

As romantic as it had been to have Gio stride into the office and kiss her like that, Betty knew that the reality was that they were going to need to talk.

"Do you want anything to drink?" asked Gio as he tossed his keys onto the table.

"No, I'm fine, thanks," she replied with a smile.

A short silence followed where they stood and looked at each other not quite sure what to say and then Gio gestured to the sofa. "Let's sit down," he suggested.

Betty did as she was bade and made herself comfortable. Gio sat down next beside her, close enough that his thigh pressed firmly against her own. Betty relished the contact and leaned in even nearer.

Gio resisted the temptation to put his arm around her and clasped his hands together on his lap instead. Pausing a moment to gather his thoughts, he finally shook his head admitted, "I don't really know where to start."

"Then let me," Betty offered quickly.

He frowned slightly then nodded his acquiescence. "OK."

Betty sat up a little straighter and turned to look at him. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

Gio's frown deepened at her apology. "What for?"

Betty shrugged. "For before Rome, for after Rome…for everything."

Gio's expression lightened, a wry smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "I don't think it's all been your fault," he conceded dryly. "I should've waited longer after Henry left but I thought I could easily make you forget him. That day in the deli when I kissed you…"

He trailed off and looked away unable to voice the conflicting emotions he still felt about that time.

Betty reached out and touched his tanned arm, causing him to turn back to her. "I'm glad you kissed me, I just…I didn't know how to react. I thought I should be angry because of Henry but I wasn't…not really. I was annoyed with myself for liking it so much and I took it out on you." She paused and gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry that I slapped you, Gio. It was wrong."

Gio covered her hand with his and clasped it tightly. "Let's just say that we both acted on impulse and leave it in the past, hm?" he suggested softly.

Betty nodded then unexpectedly leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. Gio's eyelids slid shut and his free hand came up to cradle the back of her head. He hadn't intended to deepen the kiss, but found he couldn't help himself. The fact that Betty had made the first move, proved an aphrodisiac he couldn't resist. Opening his mouth, his tongue met hers, tasting, duelling as they came together again and again.

As their ardour mounted, he gently pushed her back so that she lay down on the sofa. Betty's arms roamed freely over his back as his firm body pressed intimately against hers. It was only when she slipped a searching hand under his t-shirt and touched the warm, bare skin underneath that Gio suddenly broke the kiss and pulled back a little. Breathing hard, he stared down at her flushed face and passion filled eyes for a moment then shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I'm rushing you again," he muttered with distaste. Annoyed with himself, he moved to sit up but Betty clutched at him tighter.

"No, you're not. I want this too, Gio…I want you," she revealed breathily.

Struggling to regain his composure at her simple declaration, his traitorous body responded to her words by surging to full arousal. Involuntarily, his taut body pressed harder against hers as rational thought rapidly gave way to pure instinct and emotion.

He knew he should be taking it slower. They still had things that needed to be resolved but having her lying there beneath him, so willing, so ready…

He felt her hand begin to move across his flesh once more, gently, enticingly, moving lower…

"Please, Gio," she murmured softly, lifting her head to kiss his neck.

Her plea, coupled with her lips hit him straight in the groin again and he let out a small groan of desire. "I…Betty," he rasped, trying to form a coherent sentence. A slight movement of her hips caused him to draw in a sharp breath and he suddenly blurted out, "We can't, we haven't even been out on a date yet!"

Silence followed his statement as they stilled and stared at each other incredulously. The faint desperation that had clouded his voice only added to the absurdness of the comment that seemed to echo around the apartment. The moment stretched on until, suddenly, Betty let out a loud giggle.

Gio felt his face grow warm but seeing her cup a hand over her mouth to stop her mirth only succeeded in igniting his own. The mounting tension that had surrounded them slowly dissipated as they both sat up and smiled at each other.

"I didn't know you were so old-fashioned," Betty teased lightly.

"Neither did I," Gio admitted with a wry smile as he squirmed a little uncomfortably in his seat. For once he wished he wore jeans of a looser fit. "I guess you just bring out the worst in me."

His involuntary action brought Betty's gaze to his lap. She remembered what he'd felt like against her, even with the barrier of clothes. She'd never wanted anyone as much as she did the young Italian seated next to her but she understood his need to slow things down. Intellectually, she was glad he had as she didn't really want her first time with Gio to be on his couch. Physically, though, her unruly body was still craving his touch.

"Let's go for a walk," she suggested as she stood up abruptly. They could both do with getting some air after their close encounter.

Gio looked surprised and faintly relieved. With a nod, he got up and grabbed his keys. They left his apartment and headed outside into the warm sunshine. They got in his van and he drove them to Central Park where he managed to find a place to park a few blocks away.

As they sauntered along the sidewalk, Gio reached out and took hold of Betty's hand. She smiled shyly at the simple gesture and they continued on in companionable silence for a while, stealing the odd glance at each other. As they passed a coffee shop, Gio suggested getting a drink and pastry to take with them. Betty agreed and ten minutes later, they were sat on the grass enjoying their treats in the sunshine.

As time passed they finished their food and coffee and the light banter that had accompanied it turned to more important things.

"I still can't believe you're here with me," Gio admitted soberly.

"Me either," Betty revealed quietly. "I thought I'd never see you again."

Gio looked away, unable to gaze upon the pain that had suddenly clouded her soft, brown eyes. Thinking back over the past weekend, his heart ached at the thought that Betty had almost been right. There had been a couple of occasions when he'd seriously considered just taking off somewhere and the hell with everything else. He was glad he hadn't though. It had all turned out so much better than he'd imagined, apart from one little thing that just kept niggling at him.

Keeping his gaze averted, he asked flatly, "Who was that guy you were with at the party?"

Betty looked puzzled. "I wasn't with any guy," she refuted.

Gio frowned and turned his head to look at her. "I saw you dancing with him," he stated in a faintly accusing tone. "Tall, dark-haired…completely besotted with you…"

Betty couldn't hold his steady gaze and found herself blushing. Although Daniel had pointed out the fact that Gio had noticed Matt's attention, she had hoped that it wasn't true. She edged a little closer to him and sighed.

"His name is Matt and he's someone I have to work with sometimes, but that's all there is to it," she told him sincerely. "I didn't know he liked me until Daniel told me and then I confronted Matt about it and told him that I'm in love with you." She paused and searched his guarded features unhappily. "Is that why you left without talking to me? You thought I liked him?"

Gio ran a hand through his short hair and nodded ruefully. "It was like seeing you with Egg Salad all over again. I just couldn't stand there and watch the way he looked at you or the way you smiled at him, it…hurt."

It was a difficult admission for him to make and as he started to turn away, Betty brought her hand up to cup his cheek, the gentle action forcing him to remain looking at her. "I'm sorry," she apologised softly before leaning in and giving him a kiss.

Gio had a small smile on his face when she pulled away. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have run away like that but I wasn't thinking straight. I haven't been since you told me you weren't going to Rome."

Betty opened her mouth to apologise again but Gio suddenly placed a finger over her lips and shook his head. "Don't," he commanded gently. "There's no need to say it, I know how you feel and although I know we still need to talk, I really don't want to spend the rest of the day saying sorry to each other, OK?"

Betty nodded and smiled then Gio took his hand away and gave her a long, loving kiss. When they broke apart, the young Italian stared deep into her eyes with a burning intensity. The earlier passion they'd shared was still bubbling away beneath the surface, just waiting for the time it was allowed free rein once more.

"Do you know how much I love you, B?" Gio blurted out suddenly. He glanced skywards then looked back at her with a shake of his head. "I swear to God, if you opened me up I'd have a picture of you right here," he paused and tapped his fingers against his chest before adding, "Painted right across my heart."

Betty felt tears well up in her eyes at his words and quickly blinked them away. "Well, I guess that makes two of us then," she responded with a tremulous smile.

Gio smiled back at her warmly then stood up and held out his hand. "Come on, let's go back to my place and I'll make us some lunch."

Betty happily grasped his hand and they walked slowly back to his van. They soon reached his apartment and went in. As before, Gio tossed his keys onto the table and offered Betty a drink. This time she accepted and he went to the kitchen to start the machine.

Betty excused herself to the bathroom and, once inside, checked her appearance. She smoothed down her top and absently adjusted her glasses as she scrutinised her face for any signs of the tearful weekend she'd endured. Amazingly, she looked good, even to her own critical eyes. She quickly ran her fingers through her hair then pushed it back over her shoulders and smiled.

"Good luck," she told her reflection aloud before going back out into the lounge.

Gio was still in the kitchen cutting some bread as she walked up behind him and came to a stop nearby. "Do you need any help?" she asked.

"No, I'm good," he replied, shooting her a smile over his shoulder.

Looking him up and down as he worked, she couldn't help but agree. His snug jeans and tight t-shirt outlined his solid form to perfection. Barely contained memories of their encounter earlier that day finally pushed themselves forward, urging her on to do something she'd never done before.

Seduce a man.

It was something she'd never had to do before being that she was always happy to go at her partner's pace. But with Gio, it was different. The way he made her feel…it was strong and primal, almost. She wanted him badly. All of him. Mind, body and soul. Particularly his body at that precise moment in time…she just wasn't quite sure how to go about it.

Taking a steadying breath, she walked the few steps that brought her next to him at the kitchen counter and turned to lean back against it. She watched him start to butter the bread then took another deep breath and asked falteringly, "So…um…do you think going to the park counts as a…date?"

Surprised at her question, Gio paused mid stroke and turned his head to look at her, his thoughts immediately conjuring up the words he'd uttered as they'd lain together on the sofa. Had she really meant what he thought she had? The reddening of her cheeks as she met his gaze, coupled with the way she was nervously wringing her hands told him all he needed to know.

He put down the butter knife and turned to face her properly. "Yeah, I'd definitely say that was a date," he replied, his raspy voice low and meaningful.

He remained where he was, awaiting her next move. If she was going to initiate something, he certainly wasn't going to be stupid enough stop her this time, but it had to be on her terms.

Betty saw the desire burning in his eyes and felt a sudden, newfound confidence surge through her body. She stepped up to him until they were inches apart and lifted her arms, wrapping them around his neck as she shuffled closer and pressed herself flush against him.

"I want you," she whispered before kissing him hard on the lips.

Gio's arms wrapped around her body and he kissed her back. They broke for air then he kissed her again, languidly this time, coaxing her tongue to move with his in order to stoke the flame of their desire even higher. They had plenty of time and he was going to make sure they didn't waste a minute of it.

Together, they stumbled their way to his bedroom, their lips only ever parting to remove one item of clothing or another. Finally they lay on his bed, completely naked. Skin touching heated skin as they discovered each other's bodies, finding the most sensitive areas to bring as much pleasure to one another as they possibly could.

Moving together in harmony, they made love with fierce passion and underlying tenderness. Betty reached her peak first, closely followed by Gio, their cries of pleasure mingling as they rode out the wave of ecstasy together.

Gio deftly disposed of his protection before lying down on his back and lifting his arm for Betty to drape herself across him. He let out a long sigh of satisfaction and smiled. Their lovemaking had been so much more than his most heated dreams had ever imagined. There was a pleasurable lethargy to his limbs that was accompanied by Betty's fingers moving in lazy circles over his damp chest.

He let his fingers run gently through her hair and placed a kiss on top of her head. He still couldn't believe he was there with the love of his life in his arms. Somewhere along the line, he must have done something very good to be blessed in such a way.

He was just thankful that his cousin, Matteo, had made him see sense. He was going to have to thank him properly and maybe even give him a pay rise. He certainly deserved it...and was probably going to need it if his thing with Amanda continued he realised sardonically.

Betty raised her head and caught the thoughtful expression on her boyfriend's face. "Are you OK?" she asked.

Gio looked at her and smiled. "Never been better. You?"

"Me too," she agreed with a grin as she rested her chin on his chest. "Although I am a bit hungry now."

Gio chuckled. "OK, I'll go and finish the sandwiches and bring them back here."

She rolled onto her back so that Gio could get out of bed and watched with a smile as he casually headed for the door, completely at ease with his lack of clothing. Just as he left the room, a sudden thought entered Betty's head and she sat bolt upright as she called out to him.

"Gio, have you called Mario Batali yet?"

The mild expletive she heard was all the answer she needed and she couldn't help but laugh. She got out of bed and poked her head around the door. Gio was standing naked at his kitchen counter, making sandwiches while talking on his mobile phone.

If only she had a camera.

He finished his call and she walked over to him with a smile. "I hope you washed your hands," she teased.

Gio chuckled and gave her a kiss. "I am now, officially, having my cheese supplied by Mario Batali," he announced happily. He turned and pulled her into his embrace and gave her a tight hug. "Life doesn't get any better than it is right now," he murmured softly.

Returning his hug, Betty had to agree. They'd taken the long route but they'd finally found the right way home.

Together.

**THE END**


End file.
